Sen. Gerald Hocker

Section 20 of Article I of the Delaware Constitution guarantees that “a person has the right to keep and bear arms for defense of self, family home and state…”. Both the United States Supreme Court and the Delaware Supreme Court have recognized the right of self-defense to be fundamental and to have pre-dated the formation of our country. As of 2020, there were over 18,600,000 Americans with concealed carry permits and 24,400,000 adults living in states where no permit is required to carry a concealed firearm, which is a 420% increase in the number of adults living in states allowing the public carrying of a firearm since 1988. As of the beginning of 2021, there were 18 states where no permits were required to carry a concealed firearm, 25 states that were considered “shall issue” permit states, and 9 states that were considered “may issue” permit states. This Act brings Delaware law concerning the carrying of concealed deadly weapons into conformity with Section 20 of Article I of the Delaware Constitution by allowing a person who is 21 years of age or older and not a prohibited person under either Delaware law or the laws of the United States to carry a deadly weapon concealed on or about their person for the purpose of defending self, family, home, and State. In addition, this Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual and conforming amendments in other provisions of the Delaware Code to account for the removal of the requirement to obtain a license to carry a concealed deadly weapon.

In 2009, New Hampshire was the first state to develop a statewide "Gun Shop Project," reaching out to gun shops regarding the role they can play in suicide prevention. In the years since, at least 21 other states have implemented similar campaigns. This Act establishes the Delaware Gun Shop Project. The Gun Shop Project's primary purpose is to develop, create, and provide suicide prevention education materials and training, to be made available for dealers and consumers of licensed deadly weapons in Delaware. The Delaware Suicide Prevention Coalition will oversee the Gun Shop Project and include the Project's annual report in the Coalition's annual report. The Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, which staff the Coalition, will staff the Gun Shop Project. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Section 1 clarifies the definitions for animal exposed to rabies, control and observation, exotic animals, human exposed to rabies, owner, rabid animal, rabies vector species, strict quarantine, scratch, and suspect rabid animal. Section 2 clarifies the reporting requirements for a medical practitioner, hospital, veterinarian, or other person with knowledge of a person or animal suspected of being exposed to rabies. Section 3 requires veterinarians providing rabies vaccines to be licensed veterinarians and removes the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control from the list of entities authorized to inspect a cat or ferret owner’s certificate of a valid rabies vaccination. Section 4 provides that no licensed veterinarian or other person may vaccinate a native wild animal, a native wild animal hybrid, an exotic mammal or an exotic mammal hybrid with a rabies vaccine not intended for use in that animal except when specifically approved by the Department of Agriculture. Section 6 modifies the requirements for management of animals exposed to rabies including requirements for reports of suspected rabies exposure, requirements for release of quarantine, reporting of conditions of quarantine, disposition during quarantine, and surrender of dogs, cats, or ferrets for quarantine. Section 7 clarifies the responsibility and liability of an owner of an animal known or suspected to have exposed a human to rabies. Section 7 also establishes that law enforcement canines are not subject to being quarantined after biting a person if such bit occurred while the dog was being used for a law enforcement purpose. Section 10 removes the provision allowing the Director of Division of Public Health to require the reporting of all cases where humans were bitten by an animal known to transmit rabies. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Drafting Manual.

In January 2020, the Code Revisors provided the General Assembly with a list of potential technical corrections that they identified as they revised the Delaware Code to reflect legislation that was enacted by the 150th General Assembly in 2019 or as they reviewed titles of the Code. While technical in nature, these changes are beyond the authority of the Code Revisors to make and can only be done by the General Assembly through legislation. This Act also includes technical corrections identified outside of the list provided by the Code Revisors. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage to err on the side of caution because some of the sections of the Delaware Code being revised may require a super-majority vote under the Delaware Constitution. This Act also makes basic technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. An explanation of the changes made by each Section of the Act follows: Section 1. This Section corrects a typographical error. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the correct spelling of the name of the holiday is “Veterans Day.” Section 2. House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill No. 44 of the 150th General Assembly made only the first and second violations of § 904(f) of Title 4 a civil violation. However, the language added by HA 1 to SB 44 did not indicate how to classify third or subsequent violations, leading to ambiguity. This Section clarifies that a third or subsequent violation of § 904(f) of Title 4 is an unclassified misdemeanor. Section 3. This Section corrects the form of the citation to the Administrative Procedures Act in in § 903 of Title 7 because it was improperly drafted in House Bill No. 6 of the 150th General Assembly. Section 4. This Section corrects a drafting error made in House Bill No. 350 of the 150th General Assembly. As enacted, § 607A(f) of Title 11 states that the person charged with violating the section’s prohibition of chokeholds decides if other charges are filed against them. This Section revises subsection (f) to reflect the intent of HB 350, which is not to preclude other charges from being brought against a person charged under § 607A(f) of Title 11. Section 5. This Section corrects a drafting error made in House Bill No. 246 of the 150th General Assembly. The word-wrapping in HB 246 caused a phrase and a sentence that had been at the end of § 761(g) of Title 11, where it applied to current paragraphs (g)(1) to (g)(3), to become part of only (g)(3). This Section revises § 761(g) of Title 11 so that both the phrase and sentence clearly apply to paragraphs (g)(1)a. through (g)(1)c. by moving the phrase to the beginning of subsection (g) and the sentence is redesignated. Section 6. This Section corrects a drafting error in House Bill No. 77 of the 150th General Assembly. In HB 77, the second sentence of § 827 of Title 11 did not exist in the Code but was not underlined. Under § 109(d)(1) of Title 1, because the sentence was not underlined, it could not be added to the Code. HB 77 repealed “or home invasion” from the first sentence of § 827 of Title 11. This Section adds the sentence that was not underlined in HB 77 to § 827 of Title 11 because the sentence corresponds to the change HB 77 made in the first sentence, by addressing multiple offenses involving home invasion burglary. Section 7 and Section 9. These Sections change the word “person” to “individual” in § 1123 and § 1126 of Title 11, when referring to someone under the age of 21, consistent with how this change was enacted by Senate Substitute No. 1 for SB 25 of the 150th General Assembly in other sections of this chapter. Section 8. This Section revises § 1125 of Title 11 by removing references to § 1124 of Title 11 which was repealed by Senate Substitute No. 1 for SB 25 of the 150th General Assembly. Section 10. This Section corrects the name of the Division identified in § 4213 of Title 11. Section 4213 of Title 11 references the Division of Drug Abuse Control, which was abolished by Executive Order in 1974. Under that Executive Order, the Division of Drug Abuse Control’s duties were assumed by what is now the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. Section 11. This Section corrects an error in Senate Substitute No. 1 to Senate Bill No. 37 of the 150th General Assembly. This Section clarifies that an offense listed in § 4373(1)b. of Title 11 may be a misdemeanor or a violation, as one of the Code sections on the list, § 821 of Title 11, is a violation, not a misdemeanor. Section 12. This Section corrects an internal reference in § 8405 of Title 11. House Bill No. 2 of the 148th General Assembly added a new subsection (d) to § 8405 of Title 11, which changed the designation of the existing subsection (d) to subsection (e). However, no corresponding change was made in subsection (a) of § 8405 of Title 11 which references the subsection that was designated (d) before the enactment of HB 2. This Section corrects the reference in § 8405(a) to subsection (e) and the name of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Section 13. This Section adds the words “disposition of” to correct the name of the document referenced in §1313 of Title 12. These words were omitted from House Bill No. 335 of the 150th General Assembly in error. Section 14. This Section corrects the name of the federal agency that administers Department of Veterans Affairs benefits in § 3981 of Title 12. Section 15. This Section corrects drafting errors made in Senate Bill No. 148 of the 150th General Assembly to correct a reference to the Code and conform § 1008 of Title 14 to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. Section 16. This Section corrects a drafting error made in Senate Bill No. 187 of the 150th General Assembly. House Bill No. 12 of the 150th General Assembly, which revised § 347 of Title 31, governing the Provider Advisory Board for OCCL, was enacted on July 31, 2019, after being passed by the Senate on June 19, 2019. SB 187 transferred the Office of Child Care Licensing (“OCCL”) from the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families to the Department of Education. However, instead of transferring the existing OCCL subchapter from Title 31 to Title 14, SB 187 repealed Subchapter III of Chapter 3 from Title 31 and created it as a new Chapter 30A in Title 14. SB 187 was introduced and passed both chambers on June 30, 2019 and enacted on August 5, 2019. SB 187 repealed § 347 of Chapter 31 and used the pre-HB 12 language for § 347 to create a new statute, § 3007A, for the Provider Advisory Board in Chapter 30A of Title 14. Because SB 187 was enacted after HB 12, the revisions made by HB 12 did not transfer to the new § 3007A of Title 14. The Synopsis of SB 187 does not indicate that the legislation makes any revisions to the provisions of the Code governing OCCL. This Section restores the changes enacted by HB 12 to the Provider Advisory Board. Section 17. This Section corrects the name of the entity that administers the Ivyane D.F. Davis Memorial Scholarship Fund (“Fund”). Senate Bill No. 235 of the 149th General Assembly gave responsibility for administering this Fund to the Child Protection Accountability Committee instead of the Child Placement Review Board, which no longer exists. However, the corresponding changes to the “Board” in § 3445 of Title 14 were not changed to “Committee”. This Section replaces the word “Board” with the word “Committee” throughout § 3445 of Title 14 to correctly reference the entity that administers the Fund. Section 18. This Section corrects a drafting error in Senate Bill No. 3 of the 149th General Assembly by revising the definition of “stillbirth” in § 3101 of Title 16 to include a birthweight of 350 grams instead of birthweights in excess of 350 grams. This conforms the definition to the applicable standard for reporting fetal deaths. Sections 19 through 21. These Sections remove reference to § 4761(b) of Title 16 from other sections of Title 16, because § 4761(b) was repealed by Senate Bill No. 47 of the 150th General Assembly. Section 22. Chapter 87 of Title 18 was enacted by House Bill No. 193 of the 150th General Assembly. This section corrects the citation to the Affordable Care Act in § 8701 of Title 18 which was incorrectly drafted in HB 193. Section 23. This Section corrects an engrossing error made when Senate Bill No. 266 of the 146th General Assembly was enacted. Senate Amendment No. 1 to SB 266 only changed line 32 of SB 266 but line 33 was also deleted. This Section restores the language from line 33 of SB 266, so the sentence has the complete name of the special license plate. Sections 24 through 25. These Sections remove references to § 1012 of Title 10 from § 2702 and § 2707 of Title 21, because § 1012 was repealed by House Bill No. 197 of the 150th General Assembly. This Section also removes additional references to repealed sections of the Delaware Code. Section 26. This Section removes a reference to paragraph (a)(3)d. of § 3708 of Title 24 because paragraph (a)(3)d. was repealed by House Bill No. 43 of the 150th General Assembly. Section 27. Senate Bill No. 18 of the 150th General Assembly repealed paragraph (c)(6) of § 707 of Title 26 but did not make any corresponding revision to § 315(e) [Effective June 14, 2025] of Title 26 which cites the repealed paragraph. This Section revises § 315(e) of Title 26 by removing the reference to the repealed paragraph. Sections 28 through 35. House Bill No. 66 of the 150th General Assembly changed the name of the Department of Transportation’s “Capital Improvements Program” to “Capital Transportation Program” in §§ 8409 and 8419 of Title 29 and incorrectly changed the name of the “State Capital Improvement Program” in § 8409(b)3)a. of Title 29. HB 66 did not revise the name of the Department of Transportation’s “Capital Improvement Program” everywhere the program is mentioned in the Code. These sections correct the names of both the “Capital Transportation Program” and the “State Capital Improvement Program” throughout the Code for clarity and consistency. Section 36. This section repeals subsection (l) of § 6960 of Title 29 because when House Bill No. 145 of the 148th General Assembly created the Prevailing Wage Advisory Committee (“Committee”), it also sunset the Committee in 2019. Section 37. House Bill No. 127 of the 150th General Assembly revised § 8721 of Title 29. In the last sentence of subsection (b) of § 8721, HB 127 used the words “Executive Director and staff” instead of “employees” but did not strike through the existing word, employees, or underline “Executive Director and staff.” This section replaces the word “employees” with the words “Executive Director and staff” as intended by HB 127. Section 38. Senate Bill No. 125 of the 150th General Assembly did not use strike through and underline when moving the commas in § 1606(d) of Title 30. This section corrects the placement of the commas. Sections 39 through 41. House Bill No. 232 of the 150th General Assembly increased the jurisdictional limit of the Justice of the Peace Court to $25,000. These sections make corresponding changes to §§ 9536, 9572, and 9583 of Title 10. Sections 42 through 44. Senate Bill No. 195 of the 150th General Assembly revised the Charter of Greenwood (“Charter”). Sections 42 and 43 correct typographical errors in Section 19 and 27 of the Charter. Section 44 corrects the hierarchy in Section 44 of the Charter.

The National League of Families POW/MIA flag is a “symbol of our Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoners, missing, or unaccounted for in all U.S. wars” 36. U.S.C. § 902. In 1989, the United States required the National League of Families POW/MIA flag be flown on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, and Veterans Day. In 1991, Delaware enacted Senate Bill No. 87, Chapter 88 of Volume 68 of the Laws of Delaware, which required certain state buildings to fly the POW/MIA flag each day. Senate Bill No. 87 was not drafted as an amendment to the Delaware Code and so was not included in the Delaware Code. This Act codifies Senate Bill No. 87 into § 408 of Title 29 to conform § 408 with existing Delaware and federal law in recognition of this State's commitment to our Veterans. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

The Agricultural Lands Preservation Act allows existing farm structures that are no longer in use, but which existed when the farmland was placed in the preservation program, to be converted to use for public gatherings under specific limitations. Experience has shown that these existing limitations do not adequately allow for renovation and modernization of these farm structures to accommodate the public gathering uses. This Act provides flexibility so a farm owner may upgrade the otherwise unused farm structures, while continuing to provide protection regarding agricultural activities conducted on the farmland. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This resolution recognizes June 5, 2021, as “HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day” and memorializes the date as the 40th anniversary of the official start of the HIV epidemic in the United States.

This Concurrent Resolution creates an Aging-in-Place Working Group that will develop a plan to guide policies designed to promote successful aging-in-place for seniors in Delaware. The group will deliver preliminary recommendations to the General Assembly by March 30, 2022.

This Act proposes to limit the Governor’s abilities during a State of Emergency in regard to the Delaware Freedom of Information Act, exempting it from Title 20, Chapter 31. This Act also ensures that the reasons outlined in Title 29, §10003 for the public body requesting an extension to a FOIA request is an exhaustive list. This Act also adds Title 29, Chapter §10008, which states that the Governor may not suspend FOIA during a state of emergency without a showing that FOIA prevents, hinders, or delays the State’s necessary actions in coping with the crisis at hand.

This Act specifies the duty of election officers to establish the identity of a voter by requesting explicit forms of identification. Any citizen presenting themselves as a voter at a polling place, but who is unable to provide an acceptable form of identification, or whose eligibility to vote cannot be determined, may cast a provisional ballot. The number of provisional ballots initially available at each polling place is tripled under this Act. Provisional ballots will be processed under existing state law, as modified by this Act, allowing state election officials to determine the validity of the ballot by matching the data provided by the voter against the state’s voter records. This measure will maintain a citizen’s right to vote, while establishing clear procedures for ensuring the integrity of the voting process and facilitating greater public trust in election results.