| HB 238 | Committee | Lynn | Section 1 of this Act prohibits Department of Finance employees from disclosing any information about the citizenship or immigration status of any person that is contained in a tax return, tax document, or Department of Finance document, without Attorney General approval or court order associated with a felony criminal investigation or as otherwise provided by law. It also makes such disclosure a misdemeanor.
Section 2 of this Act prohibits the Department of Labor employees from disclosing information about the citizenship or immigration status of any person that is contained in or attached to any Department of Labor document or database without Attorney General approval or court order associated with a felony criminal investigation or as otherwise provided by law. It also makes such disclosure a misdemeanor. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 30 AND TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. |
| HB 239 | Committee | Spiegelman | This is the First Leg Constitutional Amendment to require a three-fifths vote to suspend rules. | AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION 9 OF ARTICLE II OF THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO LEGISLATIVE RULES OF PROCEEDINGS. |
| HB 260 | Committee | Hilovsky | This Act adds optometrists as health care providers who are eligible for the Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program and limits the number of health care loan provider repayment grants to 2 optometrists per year. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE HEALTH CARE COMMISSION HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM. |
| SB 209 | Committee | Richardson | This Act amends the Charter of the City of Seaford relating to the City of Seaford Police Department (the “Department”) by adding the existing Chief of Police position and by more clearly outlining the organization, oversight, powers, and duties of the Department and its members.
The Mayor appoints a Chief of Police, with the advice and consent of the City Council. The Chief of Police reports directly to the City Manager. The Chief of Police commands and supervises the Department and oversees the Department’s organization, administration, and operation. The Chief of Police may do all of the following:
1. Establish directives, rules, regulations, and policies necessary to effectively operate the Department.
2. Appoint, assign, promote, suspend, or dismiss members of the Department.
The members of the Department have police powers and are conservators of the peace within the City of Seaford’s corporate limits. As allowed by state and local law, the members of the Department have police powers outside of the City of Seaford’s corporate limits. The members of the Department shall do all of the following:
1. Enforce all applicable federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.
2. Maintain public order.
3. Protect life and property.
4. Bring arrested individuals before the appropriate judicial authority.
This Act also removes the misdemeanor penalty, imposed under the Charter, for a member of the Department neglecting or refusing to perform the member’s duties.
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. | AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF SEAFORD RELATING TO POLICE. |
| SB 210 | Committee | Hansen | This bill amends the definition of “Community-owned energy generating facility” in Title 26 of the Delaware Code, § 1001(5) by adding the requirement that the point of interconnection be located in the service area of a utility under the regulation of the Public Service Commission. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES. |
| HB 252 | Committee | Morrison | This Act makes use or consumption of a personal use quantity of a controlled substance or counterfeit controlled substance classified in section 4714(d)(19) of Title 16 (products containing marijuana or tetrohydrocannabinols) in an area accessible to the public or in a moving vehicle a civil violation rather than a misdemeanor, and changes the potential penalties for this offense to a fine of up to $50 for a first offense and up to $100 for subsequent offenses. This Act does not affect the ability of law enforcement to arrest and charge individuals who operate motor vehicles while under the influence of controlled substances under Title 21 of the Delaware Code.
This Act also makes a technical correction to delete a reference in a section title to a previously repealed subsection. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES AND COUNTERFEIT CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. |
| SB 208 | Committee | Pettyjohn | This Act adds 2 additional psychology professionals regulated under Chapter 35 of Title 24: (1) a licensed psychology associate and (2) a master’s-level psychological assistant. This Act also renames the psychological assistant registered under § 3509 of Title 24 to “doctoral-level psychological assistant” to mark the difference in education between the existing psychological assistant and the master’s-level psychological assistant added by this Act. This Act also changes § 3511 to clarify that licensing through reciprocity does not apply to individuals registered under § 3509 and § 3509A.
A licensed psychology associate may independently practice at a master’s-level of education and training, subject to the limitations listed under § 3508A(e) added by this Act. The Board of Examiners of Psychologists (the “Board”) may grant a license to practice as a licensed psychology associate if an applicant meets certain qualifications, including holding a master’s degree in psychology from an accredited school, completing an internship, obtaining at least 2 years of supervised professional experience, and achieving a passing score on a Board-approved examination. A licensed psychology associate is subject to the same standards as a psychologist licensed under Chapter 35 of Title 24, including handling of patient records, mandatory reporting, character and fitness requirements, and professional discipline. A licensed psychology associate also may be granted a license by reciprocity.
An individual who is seeking further licensure under Chapter 35 of Title 24 may register as a master’s-level psychological assistant. A master’s-level psychological assistant may perform specific functions, appropriate for the assistant’s level of education and training, under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or licensed psychology associate. The supervising licensed psychologist or supervising licensed psychology associate may apply to the Board for registration of a master’s-level psychological assistant and shall provide to the Board evidence that the individual presented for registration has the required master’s-level of education and training, that the individual will receive appropriate training and supervision, that the individual meets character and fitness requirements. The supervising psychologist or licensed psychology associate must also give the Board a statement outlining the specific functions the master’s-level psychological assistant will perform under supervision. The individual seeking registration must provide a statement, under oath, that the individual will not practice independently, will perform only the specific functions outlined in the statement submitted by the supervising psychologist or supervising licensed psychology associate, and will not represent that the individual is a licensed psychologist or licensed psychology associate. A master’s-level psychological assistant is subject to the same professional standards and professional discipline as a doctoral-level psychological assistant.
This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. Technical changes include removing deadlines that have passed and are no longer relevant, changing language to increase clarity and consistency, and changing the structure of certain paragraphs to increase readability and organization. Additionally, to clarify that all applicants for licensure or registration under Chapter 35 of Title 24 must provide criminal background checks, this Act moves the provision requiring applicants to provide for fingerprints to obtain a criminal background report from § 3514 of Title 24 to the qualification requirements for each individual licensee or registrant under § 3508, § 3508A, § 3509, and § 3509A of Title 24.
This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 11 of Article VIII of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to impose or levy a tax or license fee.
This Act is effective on its enactment and is to be implemented the earlier of the following:
1. Twelve months from the date of enactment.
2. Notice by the Board of Examiners of Psychology published in the Register of Regulations that final regulations to implement this Act have been adopted. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSIONALS. |
| SB 211 | Committee | Hoffner | This Act increases the size of the Governor’s Council on Agriculture from 7 to 9 members. The Act also requires that 1 member on the Council must be a livestock producer, and 1 member must be a farmer that is 40 years old or younger. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATED TO AGRICULTURE. |
| HB 253 | Committee | Morrison | This Act provides that a felon may receive letters testamentary, or of administration, when the Register of Wills permits it, in the Register’s discretion, upon good cause shown. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 12 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PERSONS QUALIFIED TO RECEIVE LETTERS TESTAMENTARY OR OF ADMINISTRATION. |
| HS 1 for HB 84 | Committee | Morrison | This Substitute for House Bill No. 84 prohibits employers from requiring meetings or communications the purpose of which is to convey the employer’s political or religious views, including views regarding unionization. The Act enumerates several situations to which the prohibition does not apply, including the communication of religious views by a religious employer, the communication of political views by a political party or organization, and training required to comply with civil rights laws and occupational safety and health laws.
The statute also clarifies that the following communications are outside the scope of the prohibition: (1) An employer communicating to its employees any information that the employer is required by law to communicate, but only to the extent of that legal requirement; (2) An employer communicating to its employees any information that is necessary for those employees to perform their job duties; (3) An institution of higher education, or any agent, representative, or designee of that institution, meeting with or participating in any communications with its employees that are part of coursework, any symposia, or an academic program at that institution; (4) An employer that is a public entity communicating to its employees any information related to a policy of the public entity or any law or regulation that the public entity is responsible for administering; and (5) A tax exempt organization, as defined under United States Internal Revenue Code § 501(c)(3) communicating with its employees about policy issues that are relevant to the organization, its mission, or the people the organization serves, provided such communication is done in a non-partisan manner.
The provision is added to the existing chapter dealing with discrimination in employment, and the Department of Labor is empowered to investigate employer practices, make rules and regulations, and commence civil actions if necessary. The Department of Labor is instructed to update, within 90 days of the effective date of this Act, the notices it prepares for use by employers regarding unlawful discrimination in employment to include the provisions of this Act. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EMPLOYER-SPONSORED MEETINGS OR COMMUNICATIONS. |
| HA 1 to SB 106 | PWB | K. Williams | This Amendment changes the date that school districts and charter schools must post their adopted cell phone policies online from January 1, 2026, to August 31, 2026. | |
| HB 254 | Committee | Morrison | This Act changes the name of the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to the Division of People and Culture. Renaming the division from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to People and Culture signifies a broader, more comprehensive approach to cultivating an inclusive and engaging workplace. The new designation underscores the focus on the overall employee experience, organizational culture, and people-centered initiatives. This change positions the division as a key contributor to both cultural development and organizational success. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 4 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES. |
| HB 256 | Committee | Morrison | This Act requires public schools serving grades 7 to 12 that issue pupil identification cards to print on either side of the card the following information, which previously was optional for the public schools:
(1) Teen Dating Violence Hotline:1-866-331-9474 or Text “loveis” to 22522.
(2) Stop Bullying Now Hotline: 1-800-273-8255(TALK).
Sections 1 and 2 of this Act remove application dates from the previous enactments of laws related to information printed on pupil identification cards for public schools serving grades 7 to 12 and on student identification cards for public institutions of higher learning. These application dates could be interpreted to mean that the previous enactments of these laws were to be effective only during the stated school years. By removing these application dates and establishing the effective date in Section 5 of this Act, these laws will be effective on July 1, 2026.
This Act also makes technical corrections in Sections 3 and 4 of this Act to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. | AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 404 OF VOLUME 83 AND CHAPTER 108 OF VOLUME 84 OF THE LAWS OF DELAWARE AND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PUPIL AND STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS. |
| HB 251 | Committee | Morrison | This Act makes changes to the New Castle County Council. This Act allows the members of the Council to elect a president from among themselves. To do so, this Act increases the number of councilmanic districts from 12 to 13 following the 2030 decennial census, effective with the general election following the redistricting, and removes provisions allowing for the election of a president from the county at-large. This Act also makes changes to the procedures for filling a vacancy on the Council by removing provisions pertaining to holding a special election in the event of a vacancy in the office of the President. This Act gives the Council authority to elect a new president following a special election to fill any vacancy from among its members, and retains the already existing authority to elect a president pro tempore in the event of a vacancy.
This Act also makes technical corrections to existing law to conform to the standards of the Legislative Drafting Manual. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 9 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE NEW CASTLE COUNTY COUNCIL. |
| HB 257 | Committee | Harris | This Act provides for forfeiture of the state’s contribution to a state, judicial, county, or municipal employee’s pension if that employee is convicted of a sexual offense against a child and the offense was in connection with or aided by the employee’s position. It further provides that if a state, judicial, county, or municipal employee is convicted of a sexual offense against a child and the Court finds the offense was committed in connection with or aided by the employee's position, the Court may assign portions of the employee’s pension to the victim of the crime for restitution. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 11 AND 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO STATE PENSIONS AND CHILD SEXUAL OFFENSES. |
| SB 207 | Committee | Seigfried | This Act disqualifies commercial airlines from receiving the aviation jet fuel tax exemption for economic development if they transport ICE detainees for deportation without meeting standards regarding presentation of judicial warrants and due process. This Act takes effect 30 days after its enactment into law. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO AVIATION JET FUEL. |
| HS 1 for HB 183 | Committee | Gorman | Like House Bill No. 183, House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill No. 183 (Substitute) provides for special primary elections when there are special elections for vacancies in either house of the General Assembly.
This Substitute differs from HB 183 because there is only 1 writ of election and this writ includes the dates for both the special primary election and the special general election. Under this Substitute, the procedure for special elections to fill a vacancy in the General Assembly is as follows:
• The writ of election (writ) must be issued within 5 days of the creation of the vacancy and must provide the date of the special primary election, the date of the special general election, and the deadlines for candidates to file and withdraw.
• The date of the special primary election must be between 35 and 40 days after the date of the writ and the date of the special general election must be between 35 and 40 days after the date of the special primary election.
• If the special primary election is not necessary, the State Election Commissioner will provide notice in the same manner as when there is no contest for a regular primary election under § 3105 of Title 15.
• Candidates have 5 days to file and must schedule the appointment necessary for a criminal history background check no more than 24 hours after the filing deadline.
Like HB 183, this Substitute shortens the time between some steps in the current process. Under this Substitute, the special general election will only be between 35 and 40 days later than when the special election is held under current law. These time periods accommodate 10 days of early voting before the day of each special election and are feasible with current technology and practices. Early voting and absentee voting requirements and procedures remain the same as for regular elections.
In addition, this Substitute modifies the procedure for special elections during a year with a general election. These modifications are consistent with current law and are necessary to avoid holding a special election that is too close to either the regular primary or general election to be feasible for the Department of Elections or to avoid holding multiple elections for the same office within a few months. Under this Substitute, in a year with a general election, special elections are modified as follows:
• If the vacancy is for an office that is on the general election ballot and the date for the special primary election would otherwise be on or after May 15, special elections are not held and the vacancy is filled by that year’s primary and general elections. May 14 is the last day that there would be time to hold a special general election before the end of the regular legislative session.
• If the vacancy occurs in a year with a general election but the vacancy is for an office that is not on the general election ballot, the dates for special elections are modified as follows:
1. If the date of the special primary election would be on or after May 15 and on or before the date of the primary election, the date of the special primary election is the same as the primary election and the date of the special general election is the same as the general election.
2. If the date of the special primary election would be after the date of the primary election, the date of the special primary election is 35 to 40 days after the general election and the special general election is held 35 to 40 days later.
This Substitute also differs from HB 183 as follows:
• During a year with a general election, May 14 is the last day a special primary election is held before the regular primary if the office being filled is not on the general election ballot. This date is changed from June 30 to be the same as when the office being filled is on the general election ballot.
• Changes the deadline for a candidate's criminal history background check appointment from 48 to 24 hours after the filing deadline.
• Fills a gap in current law by addressing the nomination of a candidate if no candidates of a party have filed for a legislative district that includes area in 2 counties and 1 of those counties does not have a county committee.
• Revises the notice requirements to align with those requirements for regular primary and general elections.
• Adds references to the general election laws applicable to special elections under § 7106 of Title 15.
• Makes additional technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 15 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY. |
| SS 1 for SB 67 | Out of Committee | Hoffner | This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 67. It differs from the original bill by changing the period of time that a criminal history report obtained by the Background Check Center is valid for 1 year, instead of 3 years. The 1-year period of time is now applicable to both applicants of long-term care facilities as well as home-care agencies.
This Act also removes the requirement that a current employee of a long-term care facility or home-care agency would need to get another criminal background check if they seek a promotion with their current employer.
Because this Act codifies the time frame in which a criminal background check is required, this Act removes the administrative discretion previously provided to the Department of Health and Social Services to determine the frequency in which fingerprints must be obtained. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE BACKGROUND CHECK CENTER. |
| SB 212 | Committee | Wilson | This Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment to establish the right to hunt, fish, and trap wildlife in Delaware. Twenty-one other states have preserved the right to hunt, fish, and trap wildlife. This Act is modeled after the constitutional provisions of Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Vermont.
This Act specifically acknowledges Delaware’s valued, natural heritage of hunting, fishing, and trapping, and declares hunting, fishing, and trapping as the preferred methods of managing and controlling wildlife in this State.
This Act declares that it may not be applied to do any of the following:
(1) Limit the application of a law relating to trespass or property rights.
(2) Affect rights to divert, appropriate, or use water, or to establish a minimum amount of water in any water body.
(3) Lead to a diminution or abrogation of a public or private right or of the State’s power to regulate commercial activities.
(4) Prevent the suspension or revocation, under a law enacted by the General Assembly, of an individual’s hunting, fishing, or trapping license.
(5) Alter a burden of proof requirement otherwise established by law for a challenge to a law or regulation pertaining to hunting, fishing, or trapping the wildlife of this State.
Amending the Delaware Constitution requires not only the passing of the changes in this Act, but also passage of the same changes after the next general election by the next General Assembly.
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. | AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I OF THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO HUNTING, FISHING, AND TRAPPING WILDLIFE. |
| SCR 123 | LOT | Seigfried | This Resolution urges the Delaware River and Bay Authority to scrutinize existing contracts and any future contracts with Avelo Airlines and other businesses that enter into contracts with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to fly detainees without proper due process protections. | URGING THE DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY AUTHORITY TO SCRUTINIZE EXISTING CONTRACTS AND FUTURE CONTRACTS WITH AVELO AIRLINES. |
