| HCR 12 | Passed | D. Short | This Resolution pays tribute to the men and women of the Delaware National Guard for their service and sacrifices in support of defending our state and nation, and recognizes the outstanding advocacy provided by the National Guard Association of Delaware | HONORING THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NATIONAL GUARD ASSOCIATION OF DELAWARE FOR THEIR SERVICE IN ADVOCATING, ORGANIZING, TRAINING, AND EQUIPPING THE NATIONAL GUARD IN SUPPORT OF THE DEFENSE OF OUR STATE AND NATION. |
| SCR 22 | Passed | Poore | This Senate Concurrent Resolution recognizes March 2025 as "Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month" in the State of Delaware and highlights the importance of education, prevention, and early detection to reduce the impact of colorectal cancer. | RECOGNIZING MARCH 2025 AS "COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE. |
| HB 76 | Committee | Gorman | This Act eliminates authorization for a warrantless arrest by a private person in the case of an individual accused in the courts of another state of a felony. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 RELATING TO ARREST BY A PRIVATE PERSON. |
| SCR 28 | Passed | Poore | This Concurrent Resolution recognizes March 2025 as "Kidney Month" in Delaware. | RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF MARCH 2025 AS “KIDNEY MONTH” IN DELAWARE. |
| HA 1 to HB 54 | PWB | Morrison | This Amendment names this Act "DJ's Act" after the advocate and their children who inspired it. | |
| HB 80 | Committee | Michael Smith | The Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is the percentage of electricity that utilities must source from renewables. This is presently set at 25% and will increase annually, culminating at 40% in 2035.
Delaware does not currently have enough renewable energy to meet the present mandate, let alone future RPS requirements. Renewable energy is also in short supply on the regional power grid. If it is available, consumers are paying additional distribution charges to transmit it to Delaware. If renewable energy is not obtainable, Delaware utilities are paying penalties to the state for failing to achieve the RPS mandate. In each of the last two years, Delmarva Power has spent about $13 million annually in such state mandated compliance fees. All these cost multipliers are being passed along to consumers, making power more expensive for Delaware ratepayers.
This bill recognizes the current flawed public energy policy that has resulted in renewable energy demand significantly outpacing supply. This legislation seeks to provide relief to Delawareans by rolling back the Renewable Portfolio Standard to 10% and maintaining the RPS requirement for the next 10 years, providing sufficient time for renewable generation capacity to meet demand. After the 10-year period expires, the RPS percentage will resume scheduled annual increases.
| AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO STANDARDS. |
| HS 1 for HB 46 | Committee | Shupe | Like House Bill 46, this Act ensures that no physician or medically authorized person shall perform an abortion upon a child under the age of 16 without having obtained parental consent, except in cases of medical emergency or if the Family Court adjudicates that the minor is mature and well-informed enough to make the decision independently, or obtaining parental consent is not in the best interest of the minor, such as in cases of abuse, neglect, or coercion.
This Act differs from House Bill 46 by removing additional references to the former notice requirement in Chapter 17, Subchapter VIII, of Title 24, and by clarifying that a legal guardian may grant the consent required by this Act. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PARENTAL CONSENT FOR MINORS SEEKING AN ABORTION. |
| HB 81 | Committee | Gray | 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. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS. |
| SCR 29 | Passed | Townsend | This Resolution recognizes March 18, 2025, as "National Public Defense Day" in Delaware. | RECOGNIZING MARCH 18, 2025, AS "NATIONAL PUBLIC DEFENSE DAY". |
| HB 84 | Committee | Morrison | This bill prohibits employers from requiring employees to participate in mandatory meetings or communications that are religious or political in nature. This bill also prohibits employers from punishing employees for the refusing to participate in the same. Meetings or communications necessary for their job duties or that are voluntary are excepted. Violators of the bill are subject to civil penalties between $1,000 - $5,000 per violation. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EMPLOYER-SPONSORED MEETINGS OR COMMUNICATIONS. |
| HB 86 | Committee | Shupe | This Act establishes a uniform threshold and procedure for a recount after a primary or general election for a statewide office, State Senator, State Representative, county office, the City of Wilmington, or school district elections. Under this Act, a recount will be conducted if the difference in the number of votes is 1% or less.
This Act makes the following changes to current law:
• Eliminates the need for a candidate to request a recount after a general election for statewide office, State Senator, State Representative, county office, or office in the City of Wilmington.
• Eliminates the need for 25 voters to petition for a recount in school district elections.
• Establishes a clear threshold for a recount equal to a difference of 1% or less of the votes cast.
Changing the recount threshold to 1% or less will likely be a substantive change to existing law only for statewide elections and county-wide offices in New Castle County. Current law allows a recount after a primary or general election for a statewide office, State Senator, State Representative, county office, or office in the City of Wilmington if the number of votes separating 2 candidates is less than 1,000 votes or ½ of 1% of all of the votes cast for the 2 candidates, whichever is less.
• Based on the number of votes cast in the most recent elections, ½ of 1% and 1% of the votes cast will almost always be under 1,000 for State Senator, State Representative, county office, or office in the City of Wilmington.
• For statewide offices or county-wide offices in New Castle County, ½ of 1% will almost always be more than 1,000 votes so changing the threshold to 1% or less will allow for recounts after more elections for these offices.
Similarly, under existing law, a recount may be requested in a school district election if the difference in the election of a school board member or in the outcome of an election regarding taxes, standard school construction, or bonds is less than 10 votes or ½ of 1% of the total vote, whichever is larger. Both 1% and ½ of 1% of the votes cast will almost always be more than 10 votes.
This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including revisions to align § 1083 of Title 14 with the current responsibilities and practices of the Department of Elections.
This Act does not need a super-majority because this Act does not change the City of Wilmington’s authority under its charter because in 1955, the General Assembly enacted 50 Del. Laws. c. 390, § 9, which clearly provides that Chapters 31 and 57 of Title 15 are applicable to the holding of elections in the City of Wilmington. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 AND TITLE 15 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RECOUNTS OF BALLOTS IN ELECTIONS. |
| HA 1 to SS 1 for SB 21 | Stricken | Phillips | This Amendment mirrors the proposed changes in SS 1 for Senate Bill 21, but provides that the corporation must "opt-in" to adopt them. It adds a new section one, which describes the method by which the corporation may opt in to the changes from the default, existing law. | |
