Sen. Trey Paradee

This Joint Resolution directs the Criminal Justice Council to establish and by November 2, 2021, publish integrity reports on the number of complaints made against police officers in each police agency in this State for the past 3 years, and at least once a year thereafter, and to create and publish a list of all decertified police officers in this State in the previous 10 years, which shall be updated upon notification of the decertification of any police officer.

This Act establishes a mental health services unit for Delaware elementary schools. The unit is at a ratio of 250 full-time equivalent students grades K-5 for a full-time school counselor, school social worker, or licensed clinical social worker. Additionally a unit ratio of 700 full time equivalent students for grades K-5 for employment of a full-time school psychologist. This Act defines “mental health services” as prevention, response, and coordination services delivered to students in elementary schools. Mental Health disorders are the most common health problem for school aged youth. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one in five youth are affected by a mental health disorder. Additionally, 50% of lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14. Untreated mental illness leads to negative outcomes including increased risk of dropout, homelessness, substance abuse, other chronic illnesses, incarceration, and possibly suicide. According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, ninety percent of people who have taken their own life have had an underlying mental health condition, and suicides are on the rise. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicides are now the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-14. Delaware schools need trained and experienced mental health professionals to provide prevention and support programs and services to students. Currently, as reported by Delaware school districts, 86% of elementary schools do not employ a school social worker, and ratios of students to school counselors and school psychologists far exceed national best practices. This bill will lower ratios and increase access to mental health services for elementary school students.

This allows a policy to be purchased by the Insurance Coverage Office to cover cancer for active Volunteer Firefighters, Paid Firefighters, Fire Marshals, Fire Instructors, Fire Police, EMTs, and Paramedics of the State of Delaware exclusive of those in private sector. This policy will be funded by an assessment calculated based on reporting of gross premiums by insurers writing certain lines of insurance under § 705 of Title 18. The benefits will provide a lump sum for early and advance stages of cancer and monthly income benefits for 36 months.

This Act creates the Disabled Veterans Property Tax Relief and Education Fund. Pursuant to this legislation, school districts are authorized to create a credit against school taxes for up to the full amount of school tax liability for property owned by a veteran with a 100% disability rating who is domiciled in this state. The full amount of such credit will be reimbursed by a transfer from the State’s General Fund to the County Receiver for distribution to such school districts. It has a delayed effective date to allow for implementation of the program.

This Act creates emergency access to epinephrine that allows an institution of higher education to acquire and stock a supply of epinephrine autoinjectors if an employee or agent has completed a training program. This Act allows the individual who has completed the training program to provide an epinephrine autoinjector to someone experiencing anaphylaxis for immediate self-administration or administer an epinephrine autoinjector to someone experiencing anaphylaxis. Before an individual administers an epinephrine autoinjector under this Act, the individual must notify EMS immediately, and after administration, must report the administration to the prescribing health-care provider. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the creation of the new subchapter and to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual..

This bill provides that the spouse and any child of a member of the active military service of the United States, who has been assigned to duty elsewhere immediately following assignment to duty in Delaware, shall be deemed to be an in-state resident for the purposes of determining the tuition, fees, and other charges at Delaware public universities, colleges, or community colleges as long as the spouse or child remains enrolled at such institution.

This bill allows schools and school districts to submit an application to the Department of Education to have a school designated as a Purple Star School.

This Act establishes a Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program for new primary care providers to be administered by the Delaware Health Care Commission. Under the loan repayment program, the Health Care Commission may award education loan repayment grants to new primary care providers of up to $50,000 per year for a maximum of 4 years. Priority consideration may be given to DIMER-participating students and participants in Delaware based residency programs. Sites eligible to apply for grants on behalf of their new primary care providers must be located in underserved areas or areas of need and must accept Medicare and Medicaid participants. Grants to hospital sites must be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the applicant hospital and the disbursement of grants from the program is contingent upon an initial, one-time contribution to the Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program, in an amount Fiscal Year 21 appropriation of State funds up to a maximum of $1 million, from Delaware health insurers. This Act also provides that the Delaware Healthcare Commission may award Health Care Provider Repayment grants on a prorated annual basis.

This Act adopts the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Compact. The Compact benefits the public by improving continuity of care, increasing license portability for advanced practice registered nurses, and increasing access to APRN care. Under the Compact, APRNs licensed in a Compact member state may practice in another Compact member state. In adopting the Compact, the state-based licensure system is preserved but communication between states is enhanced. This Act takes limited effect for the purpose of establishing and convening the Interstate Commission of APRN Compact Administrators (Commission) to adopt rules relating to its operation when 7 states have enacted it into law.

This Act is a Companion Bill to House Bill No. 21. It aligns the Delaware Board of Nursing statute with the APRN Compact to advance APRN practice through elimination of barriers and improving access to care for Delawareans. The Act removes the requirement for a collaborative agreement for licensure purposes although employers and health care organizations may still require one. The Act amends the definitions of “APRN” and “full practice authority” so that they are consistent with national standards. The Act also removes the definition of “independent practice” since ,nationally, “independent practice” means having “full practice authority”. This Act grants full practice authority in conjunction with licensure and removes the current requirements for obtaining independent practice. The Act changes the composition of the APRN Committee to include 9 APRNs and clarifies the Committee’s purpose which is to make recommendations to the Delaware Board of Nursing regarding: APRN practices, the Compact and licensure.