Grants-in-aid funding boosts fire companies, senior centers

Grants-in-aid funding kept close to last year’s levels, as the state set aside millions for senior centers, fire companies and veterans organizations for Fiscal Year 2026.

Gov. Matt Meyer signed the $98.28 million appropriations bill July 1. The figure is just shy of the $98.5 million set aside for FY 2025.

Big winners this year include senior centers, community groups, paramedics, public health and emergency service groups receiving $37 million; fire companies and public service ambulance companies receiving $13.2 million; and veterans groups receiving $839,000.

Cape Henlopen and Lewes senior centers, and CHEER groups in Georgetown, Lewes, Long Neck and Milton all got bumps in funding this year. For transportation services for homebound seniors, CHEER received about $650,000, Cape Henlopen Senior Center got $44,358, and Lewes Senior Center received $27,937. 

Under one-time funding, $3.2 million went to fire companies and public service ambulance companies. Fire companies across the county and state got $101,650 for insurance rebate equalization and another $42,000 to help level up insurance premium tax revenues. Fire companies also received $30,000 per substation, $24,000 for equipment maintenance, and $4,000 to $12,000 for rescue boats.

Locally, the Fort Miles Historical Association received $108,000; Children’s Beach House, $100,000; Lewes Historical Society, $42,500; Pathways to Success, $40,000; Richard Allen Coalition, $40,000; CAMP Rehoboth, $38,000; Rehoboth Beach Historical Society, $30,000; Nanticoke Indian Association, $30,000; Sussex County Return Day, $25,000; Overfalls Foundation, $10,000; and Lewes Base Ball Club, $4,000.

Legislative wrap-up

Senate Concurrent Resolution 18 passed the General Assembly to establish the Delaware Nuclear Energy Feasibility Task Force to examine the feasibility, economic impact, regulatory considerations, energy reliability and environmental implications of deploying small modular reactors in Delaware.

House Bill 35 received the two-thirds vote in both chambers of the General Assembly to pass as the first leg of a constitutional amendment to prohibit the death penalty in Delaware. 

Senate Bill 4 passed both House and Senate to create the position of inspector general and its office. According to the bill, the Office of the Inspector General would be unique in state government as a non-political agency with a sole mission to investigate and prevent fraud, waste, mismanagement, corruption and other abuse of governmental resources. 

SB 10 passed both House and Senate to allow an incarcerated person to apply for sentence modification to a sentencing court instead of the board of parole. The act allows someone sentenced to more than one year in prison to seek sentence modification if they have a serious medical illness; are 60 or older and have served 15 years of their original sentence; or the person has served at least 25 years of the original sentence and is seeking sentence modification based on rehabilitation.

HB 187 passed to allow wine producers holding a valid license in Delaware or another state to obtain a license and ship wine directly to Delaware consumers, so long as it is done through a common carrier permit. 

SB 165 passed, requiring the Department of Education to pilot a revised student improvement component under the Delaware Performance Appraisal System and Delaware Teacher Growth and Support System beginning in the 2025-26 school year before implementing it statewide. The revised student improvement component must consider factors such as student absences, mobility and noncompliance that may adversely affect a student’s performance. 

SB 86 passed both chambers to allow any person, charitable organization or county to contribute to the state’s Revolving Loan Fund for fire companies to finance their equipment purchases.

SJR 8 passed both chambers to provide technical assistance for zoning ordinance reform. A pilot program will be created by the Delaware State Housing Authority 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 the state. 

SB 122 passed both chambers to collect workforce-related data. It requires the Division of Public Health’s Office of Healthcare Provider Resources to collaborate with the Delaware Health Care Commission and the Division of Professional Regulation to determine what data should be collected from healthcare providers during the licensing and renewal process to assist the Division of Public Health with workforce research and planning.