Sen. Gerald Hocker

This Act enhances 2 existing agricultural horse racing programs, the Delaware Standardbred Breeder's Program and the Delaware Certified Thoroughbred program, by providing additional funding. Under this Act, horsemen provide half of the additional funds from purse money and the State provides half of the additional funds with matching funds.

The purpose of this legislation is to promote sustained economic growth and stability by establishing a fund to provide grants, loans or other economic assistance to businesses or public entities that invest in constructing, renovating or improving infrastructure for sites that will attract new businesses or expand existing businesses within the State to initiate economic development opportunities that will create a significant number of direct, permanent, quality, full-time jobs. There is intense competition between the states to attract and to keep vital businesses that create and maintain these direct, quality employment opportunities. Therefore, it is critical to expand and sustain economic growth within the State to consistently maintain readily available commercial, industrial sites to attract new business, or expand existing businesses. The delay in converting completely undeveloped sites into sites that are fully capable of conducting business may result in the loss of significant business opportunities that benefit the public. The site readiness fund will provide economic assistance to qualified businesses or public entities to renovate, construct, or improve commercial, industrial sites that are readily available to new businesses, established businesses that are considering moving to the State or existing businesses within the State that need additional sites to remain or expand within the State. To ensure fiscal accountability that site readiness funds are expended for their intended purpose, the applications will be administered in accordance with the existing regulations that govern applications made to the Strategic Fund. The Council on Development Finance will review the applications and supporting financial information to make recommendations to the Director of the Division of Small Business concerning the viability of the proposed project and whether the project meets the criteria established by this legislation to award funding. The Director has the final authority to award funding based on the Council’s recommendations and the requirements imposed by this legislation. The Director shall administer any such award in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 87A of Title 29 of the Delaware Code and the existing Strategic Fund regulations. To protect the assets of the Fund, the Director may require recapture provisions in any contract agreements for grants, loans or other economic assistance that recover for any substantial or complete cessation of operations or failure to reach any employment or other benchmarks. The Director may require the applicant to report financial statements and project progress reports to determine that expenditures on the project are consistent with the purpose of the Fund.

Many of the State’s waters do not meet water quality standards to support their designated uses, such as for drinking, swimming or supporting aquatic life. The Clean Water for Delaware Act establishes a framework for assessing needs and planning and implementing projects that support Delaware’s efforts to improve the quality of the State’s water supply and waterways. A Delaware Clean Water Trust account is created as a funding source for executing projects highlighted by this framework. The Trust account will have oversight from the Clean Water Trust Oversight Committee (the “Committee”). The Committee will draw upon recommendations from the Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, (WIAC), the county Conservation Districts’, experts in the effected Cabinet agencies and other public input with the goal of assisting municipal and county governments and others in implementing affordable water quality projects. The Committee is required to develop and publish an Annual Report and multi-year Strategic Plan for Clean Water with annual updates.

This bill expands prison-based jobs to provide work experience and job skill training and will assist offenders with reentry, while also maintaining Department of Correction (“DOC”) facilities. DOC has not been able to increase the number of offender job opportunities at its facilities or increase inmate wages due to budget constraints; and allowing offenders to be either compensated or awarded additional good time credits will allow the Department to increase the number of offenders eligible to work and provide them with additional opportunities to earn good time credits. Increasing the number of good time credit days an offender may earn will enhance the incentive for inmates to participate in approved programs and productive work.

This substitute bill incorporates the provisions of Senate Amendment 2 to the original bill, including reiterating in the Whereas statements the existing law that requires persons arrested for a violent felony while out on bail awaiting trial for a previous violent felony to be held without bail. It also updates the language regarding the courts' obligation to review bail to reflect current practice and requires reporting on such cases and racial impact by the Criminal Justice Council in its annual report. Finally, it provides a sunset provision so that the bill expires when the constitutional amendment regarding bail is enacted.

This Act is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution to enable the General Assembly to designate who is responsible for providing notice of a proposed amendment to the Constitution and how the notice is disseminated. This change gives the General Assembly flexibility in the dissemination of the notice, particularly as technology advances. This Act also changes the timeframe of dissemination from 3 months to between 120 and 90 days. House Bill No. 131 implements the procedure for notice of a proposed amendment to the Delaware Constitution based on the authority granted by this Act. 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 to amend the Delaware Constitution.

This Concurrent Resolution directs the General Assembly to work with DNREC, DSWA, and RPAC to identify funding for the Recycling Grants and Low Interest Loan Program. It also encourages further outreach and education on the importance of recycling electronic devices.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution establishes the purpose and protocol for the creation of an annual report on home visiting programs in Delaware. The report is to be prepared by the Department of Health and Social Services in consultation with the Department of Education and the Delaware Home Visiting Community Advisory Board for review by the Governor, the Delaware State Senate, the Delaware State House of Representatives, the Delaware Kids' Caucus, and the Delaware Early Childhood Council no later than December 1 of each year, and is to include a summary of current practices and challenges, as well as program recommendations.

This Act allows retail dealers in Sussex County to sell gasoline that does not contain ethanol if the gasoline is being used in watercraft. Sussex County comfortably meets the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ground level ozone and removing ethanol from marine fuel will have no significant impact on ambient ozone levels. The State of Maryland now allows the sale of non-ethanol gasoline in certain counties that are adjacent to Sussex County. Delaware currently suffers a competitive business disadvantage by not being allowed to sell non-ethanol fuel for vessels.

This Concurrent Resolution establishes the Subdivision Street Funding Task Force to study and make findings and recommendations regarding funding and implementing the needed maintenance and reconstruction of subdivision streets identified by the Department of Transportation in the “Subdivision Street Report and Analysis” provided in response to House Concurrent Resolution No. 4 (151st General Assembly).