Sen. Ernesto B. Lopez

This Act creates a tuition reimbursement program for volunteer firefighters, similar to already existing programs for law enforcement officers and National Guard members. Pursuant to this program, active volunteer firefighters may be reimbursed for tuition for 2 undergraduate level courses or one masters level course per semester at any Delaware college or university. The State Fire Prevention Commission is charged with promulgating rules and regulations and administering the program.

The intent of this Act is to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in the environment and to raise awareness of the need to properly dispose of balloons. To that end, this Act imposes a civil penalty for the violation of intentionally releasing 5 or more balloons filled with air or lighter-than-air gases, to prevent litter which blights our communities and environment and causes harm to wildlife and marine animals. The release of multiple balloons at 1 time is a single offense under this Act. This Act also establishes that intentionally releasing 1 to 4 balloons at 1 time is littering. Exceptions are provided for the following: - A balloon that is released for scientific or meteorological purposes, on behalf of a governmental agency, or under a governmental contract. - A hot air balloon that is recovered after launching. - A balloon that is released and remains indoors. - A balloon that is filled with water for recreational purposes and recovered after recreation. - A balloon that is negligently or unintentionally released. Under this Act, the intentional release of 1 or more balloons is a civil violation, penalized as follows: - The first violation is subject to a civil penalty of at least $25. - A second or subsequent violation within 2 years of the first is subject to a civil penalty of $75 and up to 8 hours of community service for a second violation within 2 years of the first violation. The mass release of balloons is penalized as follows: - A first violation is subject to a civil penalty of at least $250 and up to 8 hours of community service. - A second or subsequent violation within 2 years of the first is subject to a civil penalty of at least $350 and up to 25 hours of community service. Under this Act, a retail or wholesale establishment that sells balloons must post a notice for customers that the intentional release of balloons is unlawful. All law enforcement agencies in Delaware have the authority to enforce this chapter. The Justice of the Peace Court has jurisdiction over violations of this chapter. This Act also makes a technical correction to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This Substitute differs from the original Senate Bill No. 24 by doing the following: - Making clarifications to the synopsis and the notice to be posted by retail or wholesale establishments. - Providing delayed enforcement for individuals who violate the prohibition of littering with 1 to 4 balloons or the mass release of balloons on or before April 30, 2022. Persons who are not individuals, such as organizations, are subject to the penalties under this Act immediately upon the effective date of this Act. This Substitute also makes technical corrections that were missed in the original Senate Bill No. 24.

This Act allows the parent or guardian of a military-connected student to preliminarily enroll the student by remote registration in a school district where the parent or guardian is in the active military of the United States or in full-time status during active service with a force of the Delaware National Guard, if the parent or guardian is being transferred to Delaware under military orders and is transferred to or is pending transfer to a military installation within Delaware.

This Act amends the Charter of The Town of Milton. Specifically, this Act does all of the following: (1) Updates the referenced Town Map. (2) Revises the annexation process for the Town. (3) Authorizes the Town to contract with the Sussex County Department of Elections for voter registration. (4) Creates parameters for any proposed sale, exchange, interconnection, or disposal of the Town’s water system. (5) Provides an exception for the need to hold a referendum if the government funding source is providing 100% principal forgiveness on the loan for a municipal project. This Act allows the Mayor and Town Council of The Town of Milton to do all of the following: (1) Exercise the powers given other municipalities as set out in the Municipal Tax Increment Financing Act, Chapter 17 of Title 22 of the Delaware Code, and the Special Development District Act, Chapter 18 of Title 22 of the Delaware Code. (2) Enter into certain contracts without competitive bidding in connection with municipal tax increment financing and special development districts. (3) Collect special ad valorem taxes, special taxes, and ad valorem taxes related to the special development districts. (4) Levy special ad valorem taxes, special taxes, and ad valorem taxes in amounts it deems necessary for any municipal tax increment financing and any special development districts. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article IX of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend a municipal charter.

This Act amends the Charter for the City of Lewes by doing all of the following: - Permitting the City of Lewes to utilize the State's Voter Registration System in connection with municipal elections, as authorized by Subchapters IV and V of Chapter 75 of Title 15 of the Delaware Code. - Updating and clarifying the appointment process for an incumbent Councilperson or the Mayor in the event there is no challenger at the time of the Lewes municipal elections. - Deleting provisions that are redundant or in conflict with provisions of State law relating to municipal elections, specifically Chapter 75 of Title 15. - Providing that, if a vacancy occurs in the Office of Mayor or City Councilperson, the person chosen to fill the vacancy is deemed to have been elected. - Permitting the City Council to restrict fishing on the Delaware Bay shore, northwest of the Ferry terminal. - Conforming existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including using gender-neutral language and using singular tense to include the plural, as provided in § 304, Title 1 of the Delaware Code.

This Act amends the Charter of the City of Rehoboth Beach to provide that the City Manager may delegate supervisory authority, including supervisory authority over the City’s Beach Patrol. This Act also clarifies that the City Manager has the authority to determine the composition of the Beach Patrol and establish rules and regulations covering the qualifications of members of the Beach Patrol. This Act also deletes provisions vesting members of the Beach Patrol with all the authority of a member of the Police Force. This Act also further clarifies the duties of the Beach Patrol in connection with its charge to preserve human life along the beachfront of the City.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a final rule for odometer disclosure. NHTSA’s final rule became effective January 1, 2021. The new rule extends the age of vehicles exempt from odometer disclosure from 10 years old to 20 years old phasing the exemptions in by adding one year at a time for model year 2011 and newer vehicles. For example, a model year 2010 vehicle would be exempt starting in 2020; model year 2011 and newer vehicles would be exempt starting in 2031. This Act makes Delaware law consistent with the new federal rule. The Act also makes certain technical corrections to make the current law consistent with the Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act is a comprehensive update to the Charter of Dewey Beach that makes both substantive and technical revisions to diminish instances of ambiguous language and eliminate the use of archaic terms and duplicative provisions. This Act makes technical changes to update the terms used to identify Town Commissioners and the Town Council and to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including changes so that language is gender neutral. This Act makes the following substantive changes to the Charter of Dewey Beach: 1. Recognizes that among various traditional municipal goals, Town Council shall consider measures to maintain resiliency in the face of our changing global climate. 2. Clarifies the eligibility of municipal voters and officeholders and the functions of the Election Officials. 3. Clarifies that the form of municipal government is that of a Town Council and Town Manager, as well as the roles of each. 4. Clarifies the employment procedures and supervision of the Town Manager and other municipal employees. 5. Clarifies that the Police Chief reports directly to the Town Manager. 6. More fully specifies the responsibilities of the Beach Patrol Captain. 7. Increases the aggregate amount the Town Council may borrow from $1,500,000 to $3,000,000. 8. Increases the amount of a contract that is not required to be bid from $2,000 to $5,000. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article IX of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend a charter issued to a municipal corporation.

This Act permits wedding venues and persons renting a premises for other social gatherings to allow customers to bring alcoholic beverages onto the premises, if licensed by the Commissioner as a bottle club. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act allows 2 or more microbreweries to share brewing equipment if the microbreweries maintain separate premises to sell their product to consumers and wholesalers. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.