Sen. Bruce C. Ennis

A minor child that is a qualifying patient may need, in addition to their parents, a designated caregiver who is not their parent when the parents work and cannot regularly get to school to administer medicine. This bill expands the class of persons who can be designated caregivers to a minor qualifying patient. This bill would allow grandparents, aunts, uncles, and siblings, all over age 21, as persons who may be designated caregivers for a minor patient.

This concurrent resolution calls on the Department of Transportation (DelDOT) to study and revise as appropriate, the emergency evacuation routes for the beach areas in lower Sussex County.

This bill establishes a writ of attachment of tax refunds and lottery winnings. This bill provides a procedure for interception of tax refunds and lottery winnings by the Department of Finance for judgments resulting from a breach of a residential or commercial rental agreement. This bill provides for the opportunity to contest the amount owed in regards to funds seized pursuant to a writ of attachment of tax refunds or lottery winnings. The bill directs the Department of Finance to work with the Courts to develop an electronic system relating to the collection of judgments through tax refunds and lottery winnings. The bill also directs the Courts and Department of Finance to work together and make a recommendation as to the amount of a special fee that is meant to offset the development, implementation and administration of the collection of judgments through tax refunds and lottery winnings. The Department and Finance are directed to provide a report to the General Assembly by January 10, 2018 regarding the costs of administrating this provision and an appropriate off-setting fee to be charged for issuance of the writ described herein. Sections 1 and 2 of the bill will not take effect until ongoing funds are provided to develop, implement and administer Sections 1 and 2, and until legislation is passed implementing the new fee.

This Resolution honors Dr. Vincent G. Lobo of Harrington and Bethany Beach for his long and distinguished career as a doctor of optometry, doctor of osteopathic medicine, and public-spirited citizen, and congratulates him upon his receipt of a prestigious award from his alma mater, the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

This Act is a companion to Senate Bill No. 34. Senate Bill No. 34, in pertinent part, eliminates several aggravating factors under Delaware's controlled substances laws. This Act retains and codifies one of those aggravating factors, § 4751A(1)e.2. of Title 16, as a separate crime.

This Act addresses issues identified following the enactment of the Ned Carpenter Act, 78 Del. Laws, ch. 13, in 2011. Specifically, Sections 1 through 14 of this Act do the following: (1) Simplify Delaware’s controlled substance laws by reducing the number of weight Tiers that are used to categorize the severity of controlled substance offenses. (2) Eliminate aggravating factors, some of which may cause Delaware’s controlled substance laws to be applied unfairly, while maintaining enhanced sentencing for those who violate Delaware’s controlled substance laws within a protected school zone. (3) Provide enhanced minimum mandatory sentences for those who repeatedly commit the highest level drug dealing offenses. (4) Provide statutory guidance for the weighing and sampling procedures used at criminal trials for controlled substances. Sections 15 through 20 of this Act make conforming amendments to the Delaware Code based on changes made by Sections 1 through 14 of this Act. This Act takes effect 90 days after its enactment into law. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the guidelines of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. A companion Act, Senate Bill No. 33, codifies one of the aggravating factors eliminated by this Act, § 4751A(1)e.2. of Title 16, as a separate crime.

This bill adds the Department of Correction, Bureau of Prisons and Bureau of Community Corrections' vehicles to the list of "authorized emergency vehicles" identified in Chapter 41 of Title 21 that are afforded certain privileges when responding to an emergency.

Subchapter III, Chapter 68, Title 7 of the Delaware Code (“Subchapter III”) was originally enacted in 1982. In 1996, President Clinton signed the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1791 (“Bill Emerson Act”). The Bill Emerson Act preempts Subchapter III to the extent of any conflict, known as “partial preemption”. This Act makes Subchapter III consistent with the Bill Emerson Act by protecting a “gleaner” from civil or criminal liability as it relates to their donation of the gleaned food. Since the Bill Emerson Act only partially preempts state law on this subject, the State is free to provide greater protection than the Bill Emerson Act. Therefore, this Act does all of the following: 1. Extends to those who, in good faith, donate food to state agencies the same immunity from civil or criminal liability that is granted to those who, in good faith, donate food to nonprofit organizations. 2. Specifically includes within the definition of “food” both perishable food and wild game to makes it clear that food, in all of its forms, is covered by this Act. Thus, under this Act, those donating deer to the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Sportsmen Against Hunger program would be immune from civil or criminal liability as it relates to the donation. 3. Protects a person who, in good faith, provides services to a nonprofit organization or state agency related to the processing of wild game that is donated to a nonprofit organization or a state agency. The bill also clarifies the authority of Division of Public Health and Department of Agriculture relating to donated food.

This joint resolution rejects the report of the Delaware Compensation Commission in its entirety.

This resolution extends the due date of the findings and recommendations report of the Task Force to Review Financial Management Procedures of Volunteer Fire Companies from January 31, 2017 to February 28, 2017.