This is the first leg of a constitutional amendment to protect our communities from gun violence. While there is a legal presumption that people arrested in Delaware will have an opportunity to post bail while awaiting trial, this right is not universal. The state constitution already allows individuals charged with capital offenses (murder) to be held without bail “when the proof is positive or the presumption great” that the defendant committed the crime. This proposed amendment bill would expand this provision to include the charge of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Crime data statistics reveal that the overwhelming majority of arrests for gun crimes involve individuals that have previously been arrested for other felony offenses. Carrying a firearm during the commission of a felony demonstrates a calculated willingness by the perpetrator to use a weapon in the furtherance of his or her criminal activity. By virtue of its availability, someone who makes the conscious choice to carry a gun while engaging in serious illicit acts is more likely to use it to threaten, intimidate, injure, or kill their victims. Allowing people that have been arrested for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony to be quickly released back into the community undermines the public faith in the criminal justice system and creates a climate of fear and intimidation. This proposed amendment would deny individuals who have demonstrated a willingness to use a gun in the commission of crimes against their fellow citizens an opportunity to commit additional offenses while awaiting adjudication on their pending charges.
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This resolution recognizes October 8, 2023 as "National Latina Women's Equal Pay Day" in the State of Delaware and encourages all Delawareans to join in recognizing the contributions Latina women have made in every aspect of life, and the sacrifices they have made to champion equality.
This Act requires law-enforcement agencies, the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families, and the Department of Justice to report suspected animal cruelty to the Office of Animal Welfare that is discovered while performing their responsibilities in child welfare cases. This Act also provides immunity to people who in good faith, report suspected animal cruelty. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
This Act adds the following acts against a person's companion animal or service animal to the definition of abuse for protection from abuse proceedings: 1. Engaging in cruelty. 2. Inflicting physical injury. 3. Engaging in a course of alarming or distressing conduct. In addition, this Act provides specific authority for the Court to include provisions in a protection from abuse order that grant a petitioner exclusive care, custody, or control of a companion animal and order a petitioner to stay away from the companion animal. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
This Act clarifies former HB 148 from the 151st General Assembly by defining the start and end date of the 4 year lookback period that determines if a municipality, governmental unit, the University of Delaware, or Delaware State University is subject to reimbursement for an employee’s training expenses when the employee is hired by another municipality, governmental unit, the University of Delaware, or Delaware State University.
This Act requires Family Court to award possession and provide for the care of companion animals when dividing marital property after considering the well-being of the companion animal. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
This Concurrent Resolution encourages institutions, agencies, entities, and businesses that operate within Delaware, to purchase Delaware-grown food and value-added items. The Resolution also directs the Delaware Council on Farm and Food Policy to work with state agencies, higher education institutions, and other partners to prepare a report outlining current local procurement efforts to support a locally sourced food economy in Delaware, and to submit the report to the Governor and the members of the General Assembly by June 30, 2024. In addition, any updates on efforts must be submitted by December 31, 2024.
This bill allows pensioners to earn $50,000 (instead of $40,000) before incurring a $1.00 deduction to their state pension for every $2.00 earned over that amount.
This resolution recognizes June 2023 as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month and urges all Delawareans to wear purple to help spread awareness of Alzheimer's and all other dementia.
This Act increases funding for preschool children with disabilities who are not counted in either "intensive" or "complex" special education units by revising the current ratio of 12.8 students per unit to 8.4 students per unit for preschool children included in the basic unit count. This is the same ratio in effect as of July 1, 2023, for K-3 basic special education. The Act also consolidates the K-3 Basic Special Education Unit with the 4-12 Basic Special Education Unit as the ratio is the same for each group as of July 1, 2023. This substitute bill is different from original HB33 in that it omits the “Preschool 2 Basic Special Education Unit.” The preschool funding change is effective July 1, 2023.