Legislative Wrap Up »
The first year of the two-year 149th General Assembly ended July 3. Bills that have been introduced can be revisited when the second year begins in January 2018.
Bill changes Industrial Accident Board
Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown, introduced a bill May 2 that changes the number of members for the Industrial Accident Board from two to three. House Bill 153 has been assigned to the House Labor Committee.
Bill requires monoxide detection services
Sen. David Sokola, D-Newark, introduced a bill May 22 that requires lodging establishments with an appliance that emits carbon monoxide or an attached garage to have working carbon monoxide detection devices in each dwelling or sleeping unit. Senate Bill 91 has been assigned to the Senate Corrections & Public Safety Committee.
Bill allows access to state's rights of way
Rep. John Mitchell, D-Elsmere, introduced a bill May 18 that authorizes wireless providers access to the state's rights of way for investment in mobile broadband infrastructure. House Bill 189, titled the Advanced Wireless Infrastructure Investment Act, creates a new Chapter 16 of Title 17 establishing a statewide policy for deployment of small wireless cells to meet the growing demand for wireless services. The bill passed through the House June 8 and then passed the Senate June 15.
Bill lengthens college scholarship
Sen. Brian Bushweller, D-Dover/Central Kent, introduced a bill May 22 that would allow for students to participate in the Inspire Scholarship Program for eight continuous semesters. Currently the program lasts for six continuous semesters. Senate Bill 90 would allow a student to use the scholarships for each of the semesters during a traditional college program. The bill was reported out of the Senate Education Committee June 7.
Bill requires healthy food purchases
Rep. Kevin Hensley, R-Odessa/Middletown, introduced a bill May 17 that would require Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits be used solely for the purchase of healthy foods identified by the Department of Health and Social Services as having beneficial nutritional value. Using the Women, Infants and Children Program guidelines as a starting point, House Bill 186 instructs the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services to draft a list of approved foods.
Under this act, future SNAP benefits could be used only to purchase items designated as having beneficial nutritional value. SNAP benefits are paid with federal funds, meaning HB186 would not become effective until the secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture grants a waiver allowing its implementation. The bill has been assigned to the House Health & Human Development Committee.
Bill halts child support while incarcerated
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, D-Wilmington East, introduced a bill May 10 to automatically suspend child support orders when a defendant is incarcerated or involuntarily committed for over 180 days. Exceptions to Senate Bill 81 are if the defendant has the means to pay support while incarcerated, the defendant is incarcerated for a crime of domestic violence against the custodial relative or the supported child, or is incarcerated for failure to comply with an order to pay child support. The was reported out of the Senate Judicial & Community Affairs Committee June 22.
Bill adds restriction to river pilot license
Rep. Quinton Johnson, D-Middletown, introduced a bill May 17 adding to the requirements for licensure as a river pilot apprentice that an applicant not have been convicted of a crime substantially related to the practice of river piloting. House Bill 184 empowers the Board of Pilot Commissioners to waive such a disqualifier to licensure if it finds that the applicant is otherwise capable of practicing in a safe and competent manner, and the granting of a waiver will not endanger the public health, safety, or welfare. This bill also empowers the board to discipline any licensee who is convicted of a crime substantially related to the practice of river piloting after obtaining licensure, and to discipline any licensee who has a river pilot license and is disciplined by another jurisdiction.
Bill changes alcohol sale times on Sunday
Rep. Debra Heffernan, D-Bellefonte, introduced a bill May 9 that changes the time when the sale of alcohol for off-premises consumption begins on Sundays from noon to 10 a.m. House Bill 166 passed through the House June 15 and then the Senate June 29.
Bill increases bicycle safety
Rep. John Mitchell, D-Elsmere, introduced a bill May 18 that updates Delaware code in conformance with recommended changes to the Uniform Vehicle Code from the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and the League of American Bicyclists. House Bill 185, titled the Bicycle Friendly Delaware Act, clarifies sections of the rules of the road that are frequently misunderstood.
The bill also enables the Department of Transportation to deploy bicycle traffic signals as a safety countermeasure at intersections where most fatal bicycle crashes occur; require vehicles to change lanes when passing bicycles when lanes are too narrow; permit safe yielding by bicycle operators at stop sign-controlled intersections with minor roads; and prohibit the use of horns when passing animal-drawn vehicles and bicycles. The bill passed through the House June 20 and then the Senate June 30.
Bill orders confirmation of SEU board
Senate Minority Whip Sen. Greg Lavelle, R-Sharpley, introduced a bill May 22 that requires Senate confirmation of the 11 members of the Sustainable Energy Utility Oversight Board. Senate Bill 88 has been assigned to the Senate Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Committee.
Bill: Schools have choice on deadly weapon cases
House Minority Whip Rep. Deborah Hudson, R-Fairthorne, introduced a bill May 16 that gives local school boards or charter school boards more discretion, on a case-by-case basis, to suspend students for the possession of a deadly weapon other than a firearm in a safe school or recreation zone.
House Bill 176 adds wording to state code that says in the event that an elementary or secondary school student possesses a deadly weapon other than a firearm the student shall be suspended for a period of not less than 30 days unless otherwise provided for in federal or state law. The bill also allows the local school board or charter school board of directors may, on a case- by-case basis, modify the terms of the suspension. The bill was passed by the House and Senate July 2.
Bill takes aim at school suspension disparities
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, D-Wlimington East, introduced a bill May 22 requiring schools that suspend at a high rate or that show significant suspension disparities to take meaningful corrective action by implementing plans to reduce these numbers and by replacing out-of-school suspensions with more effective and restorative discipline interventions. Senate Bill 85 says the schools in need of intervention are defined as schools with high rates of suspension in all students; students belonging to one or more subgroups; and schools with a significant disparity in suspension rates between racial subgroups or between students with disabilities and students without disabilities. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee.
