Sen. Dave Lawson

Maddy summaryThis House Concurrent Resolution designates March 2025 as Endometriosis Awareness Month in Delaware. It encourages state agencies, medical organizations, and community groups to raise public awareness about endometriosis, promote early detection, improve provider education, and support culturally competent care - without creating new laws or funding. The resolution directly affects Delaware residents, particularly women and girls impacted by endometriosis, by directing state efforts toward greater public education on this condition.

This Act removes Delaware from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (“RGGI”) as the state has already exceeded its CO2 reduction goals, cutting emissions by 45%. Despite this progress, Delaware faces high electricity costs and slow economic growth, ranking 46th in GDP growth. RGGI compliance costs are passed on to consumers, making energy more expensive for families and businesses. States outside RGGI have maintained lower energy prices while still reducing emissions. Exiting the program will allow Delaware to pursue policies that support both economic growth and energy affordability.

This Act prohibits gender transition surgery for children due to the potential for an irrevocable procedure occurring when there is a significant probability that children will come to identify with their biological gender. This Act prohibits the use of public funds and insurance coverage for gender transition surgery for children. This Act provides for enforcement of the Act as follows: (1) By providing for compensatory damages, injunctive relief, declaratory relief, or any other appropriate relief. (2) By making a referral for or provision of gender transition procedures to a child unprofessional conduct for which a physician or healthcare professional making the referral for or provision of gender transition procedures to a child is subject to discipline by the appropriate licensing entity or disciplinary review board with jurisdiction over the physician or healthcare professional in this State.

This Act is a substitute for Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 41. This Act differs from SS 1 for SB 41 in that it removes the ban on the manufacture, sale, delivery, distribution, holding with the intent to sell, and offering for sale in Delaware of food that contains Red dye 40 (CAS no. 25956-17-6). Like SB 41 and SS 1 for SB 41, this Act bans the manufacture, sale, delivery, distribution, holding with the intent to sell, and offering for sale in Delaware of food that contains Red dye 3 (CAS no. 16423-68-0). For purposes of this chapter and section, food includes drink, ice, confectionary, and condiments. Red dye 3 is a color additive made from petroleum that gives foods a bright cherry-red color. Red dye 3, also labeled Red 3 or FD&C Red No. 3, is a synthetic additive used to color food and drink that has been linked to behavioral concerns in children and cancer. Red dye 3 is in thousands of foods, including those marketed to children. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Branded Foods Database at FoodData Central identified 9,201 U.S. food products that contain Red dye 3, including hundreds of products made by the country’s biggest food companies. However, Red dye 3 does not need to be in our food supply. Companies could replace Red dye 3 with natural colors from foods like beets, red cabbage, or black currants, or could simply leave it out entirely. Red dye 3 is added to food only to make it look more appealing. After the release of SB 41, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked the authorization to use Red dye 3 in food and ingested drugs under the Delaney Clause of the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The Delaney Clause prohibits FDA authorization of a food or color additive if it has been found to induce cancer in humans or animals. This Act establishes a State prohibition against Red dye 3 in food products to ensure it will remain banned in the State of Delaware. The civil penalty provision for violation of this Act remains the same as in SB 41 and SS 1 for SB 41; any person that violates this Act is subject to a civil penalty as follows: (1) For a first occurrence, not to exceed $5,000, in addition to costs. (2) For a subsequent occurrence, not to exceed $10,000, in addition to costs. Each day on which a violation of this Act occurs constitutes a separate occurrence. This Act retains the same effective date as SS 1 for SB 41. This Act takes effect on January 15, 2027, to align with the date by which Red dye 3 must be removed from foods under federal law.

Maddy summaryThis resolution formally designates January 2025 as "National Blood Donor Month" in Delaware. It recognizes the importance of voluntary blood donation to support the Blood Bank of Delmarva and address chronic blood supply shortages, which impact patients requiring transfusions for conditions like cancer, trauma, and sickle cell disease. The resolution urges Delaware citizens, businesses, and organizations to support blood donation efforts and partner with blood collection institutions to host community drives. As a symbolic gesture, it does not create new policies or funding but aims to raise awareness and encourage participation in blood donation.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 9) symbolically recognizes January 1, 2025, as Haitian Independence Day in Delaware. It does not create new laws or affect any policies; instead, it formally acknowledges Haiti's 1804 independence from France and celebrates the contributions of Delaware's Haitian community (0.5% of the population). The resolution encourages community reflection on Haiti's historical significance as the first independent Black-led nation and its global impact on freedom movements. As a procedural resolution, it has no binding effect but serves as a ceremonial observance.

This Concurrent Resolution honors and recognizes the leadership and achievements of African Americans and urges the celebration of Black History Month.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution recognizes February 4, 2025, as "USO Day" in the State of Delaware and honors USO Delaware for its important and inspiring work supporting military members and their families.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates January 2025 as "National Mentoring Month" in Delaware, symbolically recognizing the value of mentoring programs. It does not create new laws, allocate funding, or change existing programs - it simply encourages Delawareans to support mentoring efforts that benefit youth. The bill cites research showing mentoring improves youth mental health, academic performance, and life skills, particularly for vulnerable groups like foster youth. As a symbolic gesture, it directly affects all Delaware residents by urging community engagement with mentoring initiatives, though it has no binding policy impact. The resolution was introduced by Senator Lockman and passed unanimously by both legislative chambers in early 2025.

This resolution establishes a Retail Crime Prevention Task Force. The co-chairs of the Task Force are directed to compile a report containing a summary of the Task Force’s work regarding the issues assigned to it, including any findings and recommendations related to those issues, and submit the report no later than February 1, 2026.