Sen. Marie Pinkney

This Act creates additional partnership and employment opportunities, as opposed to the current framework of employment-only opportunities within the corporate employment setting, and gives the same parity to Delaware physical therapists, physicians, and podiatrists as exists in all other 49 states who already permit this. This Act permits physical therapists, physicians, and podiatrists to organize as a professional corporation on the basis that they are licensed professionals "legally authorized to render... qualified related professional services." Further, this Act enables professional fees to be divided with physical therapists, physicians, and podiatrists who practice within the same corporate entity. Finally, this Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Concurrent Resolution designates March 8th, 2022 as International Women’s Day in Delaware.

When a youth who is experiencing foster care and living in an out-of-home placement has a need for residential psychiatric treatment, there can be a delay in gaining voluntary admission to a facility due to the Division of Family Services needing to obtain the youth’s parent or legal guardian’s consent for treatment. This can lead to a youth waiting in an emergency department bed or other inappropriate setting while waiting for the proper consent to be signed. In some cases, when a youth’s parent or legal guardian cannot be located, the youth must be involuntarily committed in order to obtain residential treatment, even when the youth is going willingly. This bill allows the Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families, Division of Family Services Director or Deputy Director to sign the request for voluntary admission to a psychiatric treatment facility for a youth in foster care. In the case of a youth in foster care whose parent or guardian’s legal parental rights have not been terminated, the Division of Family Services works collaboratively with the youth’s parent to get consent on medical treatment and decisions. This bill would enable youth experiencing foster care to access psychiatric treatment voluntarily when their parent or legal guardian is not available to consent to the treatment on their behalf. This bill also allows the Director or Deputy Director of the Division of Family Services to make a written discharge request on behalf of the youth receiving voluntary treatment.

This Resolution expresses the General Assembly's strong support for Ukraine in its war against the invasion by the Russian Federation (“Russia”) and for the severe economic sanctions imposed on Russia by President Biden's administration. This Resolution further demands that Russia immediately cease its violent, illegal, and immoral assault on the sovereign nation of Ukraine.

This Act amends the Fiscal Year 2022 Bond and Capital Improvements Act to (1) authorize the Department of Transportation to use Community Transportation Funds for one-time reimbursements for various projects; (2) redistribute Community Reinvestment Funds to the Department of Transportation; (3) clarify existing funds for Mental Health Services Units are to be distributed as a block grant; (4) authorize drainage project funds to be used for both the Meeting House Branch and Persimmon Park Place drainage projects; (5) reallocate funds for a shellfish aquaculture project; (6) reallocate funds from the Municipal Infrastructure Fund to the Delaware State Fair; (7) include repairs to the responsibilities of the Facilities Management Section; (8) authorize the Office of Management and Budget to acquire property for the Delaware National Guard; (9) authorize the Department of State to identify land for acquisition for the North Wilmington Library; (10) authorize the Office of Management and Budget to transfer a property to St. Anthony’s Community Center Inc.; (11) increase substitute pay to adjust for minimum wage increases; (12) reallocate funds from the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to create a School Construction Market Pressure Contingency Fund; (13) reallocate funds from the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds for the Riverfront Development Corporation; (14) reallocate funds from the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to the Urban Redevelopment program; (15) exempt the Delmar School District Parking Lot Project from prevailing wage requirements due to funding source; and (16) authorize local bond shares for the Appoquinimink School District.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution proclaims January 23, 2022, as "Maternal Health Awareness Day" in the State of Delaware.

This Act requires private and public employers in the State to give any employee who is scheduled to work at least 8 hours on an election day 2 hours of paid leave in order for the employee to exercise the right to vote. The Act excludes employees working for the federal government as well as any private or public employee who is party to a collective bargaining agreement. Employees must give employers 2 working days’ notice in advance of an election that the employee intends to use paid leave to vote. Employers must post notice of the rights created in the Act. For private sector employees, enforcement of the Act is through the Department of Labor; private sector employers who violate the Act will be subject to a civil penalty of a minimum of $500 and maximum of $1,000. A private employer who discriminates against an employee for exercising the rights created by the Act is liable for a civil penalty of $1,000 to $5,000. A public employee is entitle to bring an action for actual damages if the public employer takes an adverse action against the employee for exercising the right to paid leave to vote.

This concurrent resolution remembers and recognizes the life and service of former Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution honors and recognizes the leadership, achievements, and sacrifices of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and urges all citizens of the First State to participate fittingly in the observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 17, 2022.

This Concurrent Resolution recognizes January 9, 2022, as "Law Enforcement Appreciation Day" in Delaware.