Sen. Russ Huxtable

This Act enters Delaware into the Social Work Licensure Compact. This will allow social workers to obtain a multistate license among the member states. Delaware will join the Compact Commission that is comprised of membership of all states that have enacted the Compact. Enough states have enacted the Compact that the Commission has been created and the applications for licensure could start in late 2025. Currently, at least 24 states have joined the Compact, while another 18 have pending legislation to enact the Compact, including Maryland and Pennsylvania. This Substitute changes the Chapter and Section numbers to place the Chapter in a more appropriate place in the code, and it corrects internal references to the new section numbers.

This Act amends the provisions of Title 29 of the Delaware Code § 7915 relating to the Council for Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities. This Act adds a Conflict of Interest Policy to § 7915 to ensure compliance with the Older Americans Act Final Rule and must be enacted into law by October 1, 2025.

This Joint Resolution directs the Delaware State Housing Authority to create a pilot program for the purpose of providing technical assistance related to zoning ordinance reform to local governments in Delaware. The goal of this pilot program is to help participating local governments identify and implement zoning practices that increase the supply of affordable housing and support goals such as equitable development and economic growth throughout this State. By giving local governments the technical assistance needed to modernize zoning ordinances, this pilot program will help Delaware close its affordable housing gap while allowing local governments the flexibility to adapt best practices to meet their jurisdictional needs. If successful, this pilot program will establish model policies for local government zoning ordinance reforms that can be expanded across this State.

This Joint Resolution establishes the Driving Under the Influence Prevention Task Force, established for the goal of deterring drivers in Delaware from Driving Under the Influence. By January 1, 2026, the Task Force is to identify the number of convictions under the Driving Under the Influence Statute in the Code, as opposed to arrests, the reason for the lack of convictions of the arrested persons, and what reforms to Delaware laws and regulations could further help deter instances of Driving Under the Influence, and further topics aimed towards deterring drivers in Delaware from Driving Under the Influence.

This Act makes it unlawful to possess, operate any motor vehicle with, purchase, install, manufacture, sell, offer to sell, or otherwise distribute a number plate flipping device. A “number plate flipping device” means a manual, electric, or mechanical device designed or adapted to be installed on a motor vehicle that does either of the following: a. Switch between two or more number plates for the purpose of allowing a motor vehicle operator to change the number plate displayed on the operator's vehicle; or b. Hide a number plate from view by turning the number plate so that the number plate registration number is not visible. The penalty for violation of this statute is for the first offense, a fine not less than $50 nor more than $200, imprisonment not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days, or both. For each subsequent like offense, such person shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $300, be imprisoned not less than 90 days nor more than 6 months, or both. The Act also makes technical changes to existing code language to conform to the Legislative Drafting Manual. A reference to farm vehicles being exempt from registration is removed, because that exemption was removed from the Code in 2014. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 28 of Article IV of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to create a new crime within the jurisdiction of the Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, or Justice of the Peace Court.

This bill removes outdated references to permits. It further empowers the Council to designate those jurisdictions outside of the United States that will be recognized for certain types of applications based upon comity. The bill alters the section regarding discipline for examination violations because the examination is now administered in a computerized format. The bill modifies the process for the reporting of case decision recommendations to the Council by its subordinate committees and clarifies that the Council may seek injunctive relief to enforce its cease-and-desist orders.

This Act provides that March 9 will be known as 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day and will be commemorated in this State by appropriate ceremonies to honor the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion members. In commemorating such a day, citizens are encouraged to write and mail letters to family, friends, military personnel, and veterans to recognize postal employees and the important service these employees provide in connecting us to each other.

This Act establishes an animal abuse offender list which will be maintained by the Office of Animal Welfare. The list will be available to the public on the Office of Animal Welfare’s website. The list will contain information regarding adult individuals who are convicted of an animal abuse offense to assist the public and animal agencies in identifying individuals who present a risk to animal welfare. This Act prohibits animal shelters from approving pet adoptions to individuals who are on the animal abuse offender list.

This Act addresses information and access rights relating to bargaining units, which are defined under existing law as groups of public employees designated by the Public Employment Relations Board as appropriate for representation by an employee organization for purposes of collective bargaining. Section 1 of the Act amends the Public School Employment Relations Act in Title 14 of the Delaware Code. It provides that a public employer must provide an exclusive bargaining representative with certain contact information of bargaining unit employees, (i) within 14 calendar days of their hiring and (ii) in January and October of each year, starting in January 2026. In addition, a public employer must allow an exclusive representative to communicate with bargaining unit members using their employer-issued email addresses regarding collective bargaining, the administration of collective bargaining agreements, the investigation of grievances, workplace-related complaints and issues, and internal matters involving the exclusive representative's governance or business. Section 2 of the Act makes these same amendments to the Public Employment Relations Act in Title 19 of the Delaware Code.

This Act is a result of the Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee's review of the Delaware Cemetery Board. Based on the Committee's recommendation, this Act changes the Office of Auditor of Account's obligation to audit the Distressed Cemetery Fund from annually to at least once every 5 years. This Act also updates the name of the Office of Auditor of Accounts.