Sen. Dave Sokola

This Act is made to authorize Paramedics and other Emergency Medical Services Personnel to provide medical care to Police Dogs injured at the scene of an emergency. This Act also grants civil and criminal immunity to such Emergency Employees who provide medical services to Police Dogs, so long as their efforts to assist the Police Dog were in good faith. However, it does clarify that in a situation where a person and a Police Dog need Emergency Medical Care at the same time the Medical Services Personnel are prohibited from providing care to the Police Dogs over the Individual Person, if the care of the Police Dog would hinder the Person’s Care.

This resolution designates October 17-23, 2022 as "Free Speech Week" in the State of Delaware

Section 1 and 2. These sections defines “reproductive health services” for the Board of Medical Practice, the Board of Nursing, and Regulatory Council for Physician Assistants, and makes clear that physicians, physician assistants and nurses who perform, recommend, or provide reproductive health services, if such services are lawful in this State, do not engage in unprofessional conduct and cannot be disciplined for such services even if such services are illegal or considered to be unprofessional conduct or the unauthorized practice of medicine or nursing in another state. This section also authorizes the following to terminate pregnancy before viability: (1) A physician assistant with a collaborative agreement with an appropriately training physician; and (2) A certified nurse midwife or certified nurse practitioner who demonstrates knowledge and competency, including successful completion of a training or certification approved by the Board of Nursing. Section 3. This section prohibits a health care provider from disclosing communications and records concerning reproductive health services, but does provide exceptions including if such records are requested for the purposes of investigating a complaint against a health care provider and the records are relevant to such complaint or to if requested to investigate a claim of abuse and such records are relevant to such investigation. This section also provides protections and limitations against civil actions from another state relating to the termination of pregnancy. Such protections and limitations include the issuance of a summons for a criminal case or investigation, and the issuance of a subpoena for information or testimony relating to the termination of pregnancy. This section also creates a cause of action for persons against whom a judgment was entered in another state based upon allegedly providing, receiving, or helping another person to provide or receive reproductive health services that are legal in Delaware. This section allows the person to recover damages from any party that brought the original action that resulted in the judgment or tried to enforce it. The damages available are just damages resulting from the original action as well as costs, expenses, and reasonable attorney’s fees spent bringing the action under this section as permitted by the court. The cause of action is unavailable if no part of the acts that formed the basis for liability occurred in Delaware. It is also unavailable if the judgment entered in the other state is based on a claim similar to one that exists under Delaware law and: (1) is a claim brought by a or the patient’s legal representative for damages the patient suffered or from another individual’s loss of consortium with the patient; or (2) is a contract based claim brought or enforced by a someone with a contractual relationship with the person who is subject to the judgment. Section 4. This section limits non-fugitive extradition of someone for committing an act that results in a criminal charge for the termination of pregnancy in another state. Pursuant to this bill, a person may only be extradited if the acts for which extradition is sought are punishable under Delaware law if their consequences, as claimed by the other state, had taken effect in this state. Section 5. This section prohibits an insurer from increasing the premium or taking any adverse action against a health care professional or health care organization for performing or providing reproductive health care services that are lawful in this State and covers any medical professional who prescribes medication for the termination of human pregnancy to an out-of-state patient by means of telehealth.

Senate Bill No. 134 prohibits a food establishment from providing consumers with a single-service plastic coffee stirrer, cocktail pick, or sandwich pick or with ready-to-eat food or a beverage in polystyrene containers. SB 134 also prohibits food establishments from providing single-service plastic straws, unless requested by a consumer. Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 134 creates the same restrictions as SB 134, but updates and corrects terms and definitions, and includes additional exceptions for both polystyrene foam food service packaging and plastic straws. Section 1 of SS 1 for SB 134 also makes technical corrections to § 122(3)u. of Title 16, the authority under which the Department of Health and Social Services regulates food establishments. Substantively, SS 1 for SB 134 differs from SB 134 as follows: 1. Defines the term "compostable" using the standards under the Federal Trade Commission's guides for the use of environmental marketing claims and as established by the American Society for Testing and Materials. 2. Revises the term "polystyrene", and how it is defined, to clearly include only polystyrene foam, and also include both processes by which polystyrene foam can be made. 3. Revises the definition of "polystyrene foam food service packaging" to exclude coolers or ice chests used for the processing or shipping of seafood and containers used to contain, transport, or package raw, uncooked, or butchered meat, poultry, fish, seafood, or eggs. 4. Adds the term "food" to the list of terms that have the meaning defined in the Delaware Food Code because the Delaware Food Code definition of "food" includes beverages. 5. Revises the restrictions on providing plastic straws by creating exemptions for plastic straws provided to patients or residents of hospitals or long-term care facilities and for plastic straws that are attached to pre-packaged goods, such as juice boxes. 6. Revised the penalty section to align with the current penalties under the Delaware Food Code. 7. Delays the effective date of Section 2 this Act until July 1, 2023.

This Act is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution to ensure that every Delawarean is afforded personal reproductive liberty. The Delaware Constitution is our founding legal document stating the overarching values of our society. This amendment is in keeping with the values espoused by the current Delaware Constitution. The Preamble to the Delaware Constitution states: Through Divine goodness, all people have by nature the rights of worshiping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences, of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of acquiring and protecting reputation and property, and in general of obtaining objects suitable to their condition, without injury by one to another; and as these rights are essential to their welfare, for due exercise thereof, power is inherent in them; and therefore all just authority in the institutions of political society is derived from the people, and established with their consent, to advance their happiness; and they may for this end, as circumstances require, from time to time, alter their Constitution of government. Section 21 of Article 1 of the Delaware Constitution provides that, "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of race, color, national origin, or sex." The core value reflected in the Preamble and § 21 is that all people should be afforded all the benefits and protections bestowed by the government, and that the government should not confer special advantages on the privileged. The right to reproductive liberty is fundamental to the exercise of personal autonomy and involves decisions people should be able to make free from compulsion of the State. Enshrining this right in the Constitution is critical to ensuring equal protection and treatment under the law and upholding the right of all people to health, dignity, independence, and freedom. This Act would ensure that government does not create or perpetuate the legal, social, or economic inferiority of any class of people. This Act requires greater than a majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend the Delaware Constitution. Amending Delaware’s Constitution requires 2 pieces of legislation, referred to as “legs,” which are enacted in successive General Assemblies. This Act is the first leg of this amendment to the Delaware Constitution.

This Act continues work started with the passage of HB 222 to ensure blood lead tests for school, child care, and early intervention programs enrollment meet standards and allow for the efficient transmission of blood lead screen data to schools, child care facilities, and early intervention service providers to provide a better opportunity to assist children with different levels of lead exposure. The Act defines the requirement for both a 12-month and a 24-month screening for children enrolled in child care facilities, public and private schools, and early intervention programs while clarifying the failure to obtain a 12-month screening does not prevent enrollment for children who provide proof of a 24-month screening. The Act also establishes requirements making blood lead level data available to school nurses and special education coordinators.

This Act establishes an independent and nonpartisan Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the position of the Inspector General. The OIG will protect the health and safety of Delaware residents, assist in the recovery of misspent or inappropriately paid funds, and strengthen government integrity and the public trust in government operations by doing all of the following: 1. Investigate the management and operation of state agencies to determine if there has been waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement, corruption, or other conduct that is harmful to the public interest. 2. Coordinate with other agencies, recommend corrective actions and statutory revisions, and, if necessary, make referrals to law enforcement. 3. Provide reports to the Governor, Attorney General, and General Assembly, and these reports will be available to the public on the OIG website. The Inspector General will be selected through a process that requires a Selection Panel to provide 3 names to the Governor for consideration. The Governor will select a nominee from these 3 names for appointment as Inspector General and submit the nominee for confirmation by the Senate. Under this Act, the Selection Panel work must begin upon enactment and the work of the Office of the Inspector General must begin by March 1, 2023.

The ability of insured dependents and other insured members to receive confidential sensitive health care services without the knowledge of the insured policyholder is greatly impeded through traditional billing processes utilized by health insurers. The most frequent form used is an explanation of benefit (EOB) sent to the policyholder after anyone covered under the policy receives care. The lack of confidentiality for sensitive health care services can often result in insured members simply avoiding necessary health care. This Act amends Titles 18, 29, and 31 to require both individual and group health carriers, including those providing coverage under the State health insurance plans, to use a common summary of payment form, developed by the Department of Insurance, for defined sensitive health care services. The Act prohibits the health carriers from specifying any defined sensitive health care services in the form, allows health carriers to address the form to the insured member, allows insured members to choose their preferred method of receiving said form, and precludes health carriers from sending the form when there is no payment liability for the visit or service provided. The Act also amends Title 31 to provide that any carrier providing health insurance to Medicaid recipients may not divulge defined sensitive health care services without the recipient’s express written or telephone recorded consent. The Department of Insurance is required to issue guidance to health insurers within 1 year of enactment. The Division of Public Health is required to establish a plan to educate health care providers and staff of hospitals, medical offices, community health centers and school-based health centers to promote compliance with this Act within 1 year of enactment.

This Act is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution to make necessary technical corrections identified by the General Assembly's Division of Research. Specifically, these technical corrections consist of the following: Section 1 and Section 12 of this Act work in concert to transfer the date of the commencement of the terms of the members of the General Assembly from the Constitution’s Schedule to Article II (relating to the General Assembly) to avoid confusion and for ease of locating this information. Section 2 of this Act deletes § 24 of Article II of the Delaware Constitution to remove antiquated language to conform the Delaware Constitution to existing practice. This Section dates back to the Delaware Constitution of 1792 when the State Treasurer was also considered what we now know as the State Accountant, the Budget Director, the Director of Revenue, and the Secretary of Finance. The purpose of this Section was to provide the General Assembly with one, detailed report indicating that the State’s books were balanced and finances were being managed properly. Over time, as other, more specific roles were created within State government, the State Treasurer’s role in these aspects were shifted to other executive branch officers. Today, this constitutional requirement is now being met by several different state agencies in several different forms, all culminating in final products overseen by entities like the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC), the Cash Management Policy Board, and the General Assembly itself, and take the form of final reports issued to the General Assembly, administrative paperwork, and legislation like the annual appropriations act and annual capital improvement act. Section 3 of this Act corrects a codification error. The sentence stricken in Section 3 of this Act was originally to be struck by Chapter 607, Volume 50 of the Laws of Delaware in 1956. However, the sentence remains in the Delaware Constitution to this day. See Opinion of the Justices, 405 A.2d 694, 697 fn. 6 (1979). Section 4 of this Act updates the name of the State officer and State agency involved in determining whether the Governor is able or unable to discharge the Governor’s duties, which has changed since the adoption of this Section in 1969. Section 5 and Section 13 of this Act work in concert to transfer the date of the commencement of the terms of certain State and County elective executive branch officers from the Constitution’s Schedule to Article III (relating to the Executive) to avoid confusion and for ease of locating this information. Section 6 of this Act designates § 2 of Article V to make an internal reference clear. Section 7 of this Act makes changes to ensure the accurate adoption of an amendment to the Constitution proposed in 1998 by 71 Del. Laws, ch. 398. The amendment proposed in 1998 was proposed by Senate Bill No. 277 of the 139th General Assembly, which was later replaced by Senate Substitute No. 1 to Senate Bill No. 277. Senate Substitute No. 1 to Senate Bill No. 277 passed the General Assembly. When the 140th General Assembly concurred in the proposed amendment, the General Assembly used the language of Senate Bill No. 277 instead of Senate Substitute No. 1 to Senate Bill No. 277. See 72 Del. Laws, ch. 437 (Senate Bill No. 394 of the 140th General Assembly). This change ensures the original intent to concur in the language of Senate Substitute No. 1 to Senate Bill No. 277 is achieved. To properly achieve this change, the version of § 6 of Article V that existed before the passage of 72 Del. Laws, ch. 437 is shown as struck through in this Section. Section 7 of this Act also makes additional technical corrections to conform existing law to current practice and to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. Sections 8 and 9 of this Act hyphenates “three fourths” to ensure consistent hyphenation of the supermajority vote requirements throughout the Constitution. Section 10 also makes additional technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual; specifically, to ensure use of the serial comma in two places in this Section. Section 10 of this Act corrects an incorrect reference to another provision of the Delaware Constitution. The reference to “Section 30” has existed in Section 7 of Article XV of the Delaware Constitution since its adoption in 1897; however, in 1951, a constitutional amendment was adopted to reorganize Delaware’s Judiciary. See 48 Del. Laws, ch. 109. That reorganization resulted in deletion and renumbering of Sections originally contained in Article IV of the Delaware Constitution, as adopted in 1897, but did not account for the internal reference to Section 30. Section 11 of this Act hyphenates “two thirds” to ensure consistent hyphenation of the supermajority vote requirements throughout the Constitution. House Bill No. 130 of the 151st General Assembly proposes an amendment to this Section and makes a technical correction to the first “two thirds” but not the second. This Section is intended to ensure that, on the 152nd General Assembly’s concurrence in House Bill No. 130 and this Act, the correct hyphenation of “two thirds” is achieved throughout this Section. 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 recognizes and honors the young women of Delaware participating in the 2022 session of Delaware Girls State.