Sen. Dave Wilson

This Act is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution to prohibit the imposition of the death penalty. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly when the General Assembly amends the Delaware Constitution.

Maddy summaryThis House Concurrent Resolution designates the second week of October 2024 as Obesity Care Week in Delaware. It directly affects the state's residents, healthcare providers, and policymakers by formally acknowledging obesity as a serious public health crisis. The measure highlights the need for comprehensive, unbiased care and aims to reduce stigma surrounding the condition. It does not create new laws or funding but serves as a symbolic recognition to encourage focus on obesity treatment.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Concurrent Resolution creates the Delaware Restoring the Family Unit Task Force to study how state laws affect family stability. The group is designed to examine specific policies in taxation, welfare, education, and recidivism to identify any factors that might discourage marriage or family unity. Its members include legislators, state agency heads, and community representatives who will meet to review these issues and submit a report with recommendations by March 2025. Although the resolution was introduced in June 2024, it was defeated by the Senate and did not become law.

This House Concurrent Resolution urges the establishment of a medical school in the State of Delaware; calls for the formation of a formal Steering Group to guide the planning and implementation of a medical school; encourages the pursuit of partnerships with established medical schools and other medical education programs; and commits to supporting efforts to secure necessary funding needed to establish a medical school.

This bill codifies that the Superior Court Veterans’ Treatment Court is a qualified rehabilitation program under § 4177D of Title 21 of the Delaware Code for persons seeking to have their driver's licenses reinstated after a DUI. This Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Survivors of child sexual abuse that occurred in this State who have been barred from filing suit against their abusers by virtue of the expiration of the former civil statute of limitations, shall be permitted to file those claims in the Superior Court of this State at any time. This is intended to apply retroactively.

This Act is the statutory recognition of the recommendations set forth in the June 2, 2023, report of the DEFAC Benchmark Evaluation and Review Panel. This Act builds on the State’s existing appropriation limit methodology by formalizing and maintaining the flexibility inherent in the Budget Stabilization Fund process currently enabled by Executive Order No. 21, approved on June 30, 2018, and the last 6 operating budget acts, including § 65 of the fiscal year 2024 Operating Budget Act. Acknowledging this process in statute includes defining rules for deposits to and withdrawals from the Budget Stabilization Fund and adding an objective and stable measure of sustainable budget growth through an advisory index comprised of certain State economic indicators. This Act requires that only the Governor’s recommended Budget Appropriation Bill consider this methodology and detail proposed plans, if any, deemed necessary or desirable in relation to state revenues or reserve funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a one-time tax credit for small businesses in Delaware that have survived the COVID-19 pandemic. To qualify, a business must have been located in the state and employed 25 or fewer full-time employees as of December 31, 2019, while also being in good standing with tax filings as of January 1, 2024. Eligible businesses can claim a credit equal to 25% of their 2019 gross receipts when filing their 2024 or later state income tax returns, provided they apply by December 1, 2024. The legislation aims to provide financial relief to these specific businesses without speculating on broader economic outcomes.

This House Resolution states the intent to phase out the use of avoidable PFAS in consumer products sold in Delaware, consistent with precedents set in other states that have banned the use of avoidable PFAS in consumer products.

This Act creates a 10-year program to address the lack of affordable housing in Delaware by establishing statewide limitations on the amount that rent can be increased as follows: 1. When a rental agreement is renewed, the rent increase may not exceed 5% of the previous rent unless the 36-month average annual increase of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) is greater than 5%. If the 36-month CPI-U is greater than 5%, the rent may be increased by no more than 7% of the previous rent. 2. For a new rental agreement, the amount rent can be increased from the previous rent is as follows: • If the amount of the previous rent is equal to or exceeds the Fair Market Rent (FMR), the rent may not exceed the previous rent plus the amount allowed for a rent increase for the renewal of a rental agreement. • If the amount of the previous rent plus 7% of the FMR equals or exceeds the FMR, the rent may not exceed the previous rent plus the amount allowed for a rent increase for the renewal of a rental agreement. • If the amount of the previous rent plus 7% of the FMR equals less than the FMR, the rent may not exceed the previous rent plus 7% of the FMR. The limitations on the amount of rent under this Act do not apply to any of the following: • Owner-occupied structures with 2 dwelling units. • Rental agreements when the amount of a tenant's rent is governed by federal regulations or guidelines. • A rental unit that has not been subject to a rental agreement during the previous 12-month period. This Act requires that the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) annually do all of the following: • Calculate and publish the 36-month CPI-U for New Castle County and for Kent and Sussex counties. • Publish the FMR for each county. • Create and publish an explanation of the limitations on the amount of rent under this Act. • Compile a report regarding the effectiveness of the limits on the amount of rent under this Act. This Act also requires that DSHA establish procedures to annually collect and analyze rental housing data in this State to measure the supply and availability of rental housing, including the amount of rent for rental units and other operating characteristics. Beginning January 1, 2026, landlords must annually provide specific data for rental units to DSHA. If a landlord refuses or fails to comply with the data reporting requirement, the penalty for the first occurrence is a warning and opportunity to comply and for subsequent violations, a civil penalty that does not exceed $150 for each occurrence. Finally, if House Bill No. 381 (152nd) is also enacted, this Act requires that Delaware Real Estate Commission’s comprehensive, statewide rights & responsibilities guide for landlords and tenants include information about requirements related to reporting rental unit data and the website where this data is published. Under existing law, this Act does not apply to leases of lots for manufactured homes under Ch. 70 of Title 25. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.