While the exact number of nurse vacancies in Delaware fluctuates, healthcare providers agree that the current shortage is unsustainable. Nursing shortages lead to missed nursing care, higher morbidity, and mortality rates. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) outlines a number of contributing factors impacting the current national nursing shortage. One is a lack of nursing school faculty - including the preceptors that provide supervision and instruction for clinical practice. Since Delaware’s nursing education programs must require clinical learning experiences provided by these preceptors, nursing students have difficulty completing the required coursework necessary for degree and licensure. Section 1 of this Act provides for an annual appropriation in an amount determined by the General Assembly to the Delaware Nursing Workforce Initiative or similar nonprofit to administer a program to provide funding to hospitals and clinical facilities to implement or continue offering preceptorship programs. Section 2 provides that this Act is effective 6 months after enactment.
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This Act clarifies portions of Chapter 84 of Title 21 of the Delaware Code pertaining to new recreational vehicle, vessel, or new recreational trailer manufacturer-dealer agreements. The Act includes the following provisions: Definitions. The Act amends § 8401 of Title 21 and clarifies the definitions of "new recreational trailer" and "new recreational vehicle" and adds definitions of "all-terrain vehicle," "off-highway vehicle," "side-by-side vehicle," and "vessel." Written agreements. Manufacturers are required to specify in writing to their new recreational vehicle dealers licensed in the state the dealers' obligations for pre-delivery preparation, manufacturer-sponsored maintenance programs, manufacturer extended warranty, certified pre-owned warranty, manufacturer-issued service contracts, parts exchange programs, recall, and warranted service on the dealers' products. In addition, manufacturers must compensate their new recreational vehicle dealers for these services and provide the dealers with a schedule of compensation and the time allowances for the performance of the work and services. Termination, cancellation, nonrenewal, or alteration of a dealership. In the event a new recreational vehicle dealer terminates, cancels, or fails to renew a manufacturer-dealer agreement for good cause, and the manufacturer fails to cure the deficiencies, at the new recreational vehicle dealer's election and within 45 days of the termination, cancellation, or nonrenewal, the manufacturer must, in addition to its existing obligations, compensate the dealer for any transporting, handling, packing, storing, and loading of any returned parts, tools, and equipment. Warranty obligations. With respect to parts reimbursement, reasonable compensation to a new recreational vehicle dealer may not be less than the rate charged by the dealer for like services to nonwarranty customers for nonwarranty parts, service, or actual wholesale cost, plus a minimum 40% handling and the cost of any freight to return the warranty parts to the warrantor. A new recreational vehicle dealer must notify the warrantor within 180 days if it is unable to perform any warranty repairs. In addition, a schedule of compensation for warranty services must include reasonable compensation for diagnostic work, parts, repair service, and labor. Time allowances for the diagnosis and performance of warranty work and services must be reasonable and adequate. With respect to manufacturer-sponsored maintenance programs, manufacturer extended warranty, certified pre-owned warranty, manufacturer-issued service contracts, parts exchange programs, recall and warranty parts, and labor reimbursement, reasonable compensation may not be less than the rate charged by the dealer for like service to non-warranty customers for nonwarranty parts, services, and repairs. If a manufacturer furnishes a part of a component to a dealer at no or a reduced cost, the manufacturer must compensate the dealer in the same manner as warranty parts compensation, less the dealer cost for the part or component as listed in the manufacturer's price schedule. Association standing. An association that has at least 4 recreational vehicle dealers as members, substantially all of whom are new recreational vehicle dealers within the State, and that represents the collective interests of its members, has standing to file a petition or civil action against a manufacturer regulated under this chapter for itself or on behalf of any or all of its members. Such an association also has standing to intervene in an action against a manufacturer regulated under this chapter previously filed by an individual member or members of the association to enforce the provisions of this chapter. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill No. 407, like the original, does all of the following: clarifies the ability of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to respond to emergent situations, expands the jurisdiction from which DNREC may file to recover costs, and makes certain changes to amounts deposited into the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act Fund. Section 1 provides definitions for “Abate,” “Emergency,” and “Removal Action.” Section 2 clarifies the ability of the Secretary or their authorized employees or agents to determine if an emergency exists and take immediate action to abate the emergency without obtaining public comment. Section 3 allows the Department to authorize removal actions to address releases without first obtaining public comment, and to incorporate the removal action into any proposed plan of remedial action by DNREC. Section 4 expands the jurisdiction of the courts which DNREC may bring enforcement actions and recover costs. Section 5 increases the civil penalty for each fraudulent act from up to $10,000 to $40,000. Section 6 extends the end date from January 1, 2029, to January 1, 2037, for monies to be deposited into the Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act Fund (the “Fund.”) Section 7 provides the effective date of this legislation. This Substitute differs from the original House Bill No. 407 in that it removes references to the realty transfer tax.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Delaware law to automatically make children eligible for state-funded child care assistance once they are placed in foster care. By removing the need for a separate application process, the legislation aims to ensure that children in foster care can immediately access care services without delay. The change directly impacts the Department of Health and Human Services, which administers the Purchase of Care program, and the families and foster parents caring for these children.
This substitute bill allows target practicing with a BB gun, projectile weapon, or firearm by a 16 or 17 year old without direct supervision of a person age 21 or above provided the 16 or 17 year old has permission of a parent or guardian and the 16 or 17 year old has completed a hunter education course. Additionally, a 16 or 17 year old is allowed to hunt without direct supervision if they are in possession of a valid Delaware hunting license.
This Substitute for House Bill No. 383 specifies by position title which Department of Transportation employees must be paid overtime after working 37.5 hours in a week beginning July 1, 2026.
This Act simplifies the licensing requirements for youth camps that are accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) by requiring that the Department of Education's Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL) deem a youth camp as meeting all equivalent health and safety requirements necessary for a youth camp license if the youth camp has ACA accreditation through August 30 of the current calendar year. By streamlining the OCCL licensing requirements for youth camps, this Act also increases the availability of summer child care that is eligible for provider reimbursement from the Purchase of Care (POC) program. Under existing OCCL regulations, a youth camp has the option of applying for either license exempt status or a license. To obtain a license, a youth camp must meet very detailed and specific requirements that are challenging, if not impossible, for many youth camps. ACA accreditation requires that a camp satisfies health and safety requirements that are similar and equivalent, but not identical, to the OCCL license requirements. However, an ACA accredited but license-exempt youth camp is unable to receive POC provider reimbursement because under the state plan for the federal Child Care and Development Fund, license exempt child care providers are not eligible for provider reimbursement. This Act also codifies the following policies that are in the current OCCL child care licensing regulations: • A youth camp license and the definition of “youth camp”. • The requirement that a youth camp must have a valid Division of Public Health permit to be licensed or approved as license exempt. • The school-age care, programs, and activities that are exempt from child care license requirements. This Act is effective immediately and § 3003A(c)(4)b. of Title 14 must be implemented no later than December 31, 2026. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
This House Joint Resolution directs the Judiciary to establish a Working Group to explore the feasibility of establishing a Housing Opportunity and Poverty Elimination (HOPE) Court Program in partnership with State agencies and community organizations and to provide recommendations for statewide implementation.
This act updates the Delaware Technical Innovation Program at Title 29 of the Delaware Code, Chapter 87A, Subchapter III by authorizing the Division of Small Business to provide matching funds or supplemental grant funds to eligible Delaware small businesses receiving federal SBIR or STTR awards in order to support research, development, commercialization, and economic benefit in this State. This act also authorizes the State to provide matching funds or supplemental grant funds to an eligible small business that has received a federal SBIR or STTR Phase I or Phase II award. To qualify for funding under Title 29, § 8737A, a small business must have its principal place of business in Delaware and must certify that the funded work, related research and development, or commercialization activity will benefit the Delaware economy. The Division of Small Business shall administer the program using funds allocated or otherwise made available for such purpose and may establish application requirements, program guidelines, allowable uses of funds, award amounts, and such other criteria as are necessary to carry out § 8737A.
This Act updates Chapter 57 of Title 15 to reflect modern voting procedures. These updates are necessary because Chapter 57 of Title 15 provides the requirements under which the Superior Court (Court) performs its duties under § 6 of Article V of the Delaware Constitution to certify the results of each general election. As such, the requirements under this Chapter need to align with all of the current ballots and methods by which votes are cast to ensure that the results of general elections are properly certified and not subject to challenge. Specifically, this Act does all of the following: • Aligns terms and definitions with current law and the updates that will be enacted under Senate Bill No. 266 (153rd General Assembly). • Adds early voting ballots and provisional ballots to the materials that the Department of Elections must provide to the Court. • Explains that the Court certifies the results of the election by tabulating the votes cast. • Consolidates the requirements for the contents of certificates of elections and the delivery of those certificates to provide clarity and repeal contradictory and unnecessary provisions. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.