Committee Agenda Report: 5/3/22-5/4/22
Prepared By Dustyn Thompson, David Rugg, Julie McIndoe
It appears the House has now also stopped the ability to call in to testify! Leaving you the option of showing up in person, or not participating at all. So much for that virtual through 2022 commitment…
The Senate is still doing committees with virtual access (hybrid), so the registration links are provided.
Bills coming up the week of 5/2/22:
| Bill Number | Sponsor | Summary/Description | Committee | Date | Time | Registration Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB400 | Rep. Griffith | Provides a way for insured dependents to track who is receiving and profiting from their sensitive health care information. | House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce | 5/3/22 | 11:00 AM | Livestream Link |
| SB9 | Sen. Walsh | Establishes new formulas that a community owner is allowed to increase rent in a manufactured home community. | Senate Housing | 5/4/22 | 11:30 AM | Register |
| SB90 w/SA1 | Sen. Lockman | Repeals the exception to discrimination based on the source of income that allows a landlord to discriminate against tenants who participate in government-sponsored rental assistance programs. | House Housing & Community Affairs | 5/4/22 | 5:00 PM | Livestream Link |
| SB267 | Sen. Matsavinos | Requires that third-party cost-sharing assistance utilized by patients is applied toward the enrollee's health insurance deductibles and any out-of-pocket limits. | Senate Banking, Business, and Insurance | 5/4/22 | 10:00 AM | Register |
| HB235 | Rep. Lynn | Bill of Rights for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness to ensure that all individuals, regardless of housing status, have equal opportunity to live in decent, safe, sanitary, and healthful accommodations and enjoy equality of opportunities. | House Judiciary | 5/3/22 | 1:00 PM | Livestream Link |
| HB371 | Rep. Osienski | Removes all penalties for possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana, except for those who are under 21 years of age. | House Health & Human Development | 5/3/22 | 11:00 AM | Livestream Link |
| HS1 for HB377 | Rep. Sherae’a Moore | Requires the Department of Education to conduct an annual workforce study of early childhood professionals to support the development of a plan and implementation of a system of supports to grow and deepen the early childhood workforce. | House Education | 5/4/22 | 3:00 PM | Livestream Link |
| HB378 | Rep. Morrison | Clarifies the authority of the Office of Animal Welfare and Department of Agriculture to enforce all state laws relating to protection and control of animals, including dog barking laws. The Act also transfers the authority to impose and collect fines and penalties under this title to the department. | House Health & Human Development | 5/4/22 | 11:00 AM | Livestream Link 1-800-285-6670 Password: HEALTH |
| HB368 | Rep. Wilson-Anton | This Act deletes from the Delaware Code a derogatory and highly offensive term for Italian-, Spanish-, and Portuguese-American immigrants. | House Public Safety and Homeland Security | 5/4/22 | 4:00 PM | Livestream Link |
Top Priority Legislation This Week:
Homeless Bill of Rights
HB 235, the “Homeless Bill of Rights” sounds ambitious. It is, but it is actually a very simple bill that does not require an amendment to the state constitution or a fiscal note. It does not create any additional protections that all Delawareans don’t already have. It just clarifies that those experiencing homelessness are still granted all the same rights as any other resident. Just a few of these very basic rights include the ability to register to vote and vote, the same expectation or privacy of their personal property as a housed person, to eat, share, accept, or give food in any public space in which having food is not prohibited.
It would empower the Attorney General’s Office to start civil proceedings against anyone found discriminating against someone experiencing homelessness and allow them to go to the Human Rights Commission and file a complaint when their rights are infringed upon.
Some jurisdictions have passed a homeless bill of rights, including Rhode Island, Connecticut, Illinois, and the United States territory of Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, far more states, counties, and cities pass laws that criminalize homelessness and poverty, regarding loitering, eating in a public place, camping under an overpass… This reinforces the intersection between homelessness and the criminal justice system and exacerbates rather than solves the problem. Since 2014, legislators and activists have been trying to pass a Homeless Bill of Rights. It has yet to get out of committee. Let’s home this unfortunate streak is broken this Tuesday.
Marijuana Legalization Take Number 420
Ok, so it isn’t take number 420, but come on, who can resist a turn of phrase. It seems like it is the hundredth or so time we have had to hear about a cannabis bill in committee on the pathway to legalization. However, this time it isn’t a new bill. It’s House Bill 371 back up in committee after a big debacle in the committee hearing before spring break. Apparently, the chair of the committee didn’t think that they needed to conduct a full hearing on the bill with public comment because it had all been said before. Well, turns out the legal team decided otherwise, which, to their defense, they hinted to as much in the committee hearing at the time. At any rate, it’s the same bill, no changes. Just a straight-up legalization bill intended to put the anti-pot police brigade in their place so we can finally pass the real bill that will tax and regulate cannabis in Delaware.
Protecting Sensitive Healthcare Information
House Bill 400 is a top priority piece of legislation for the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence. It seeks to protect sensitive information regarding the health care of individuals insured under someone else's plan. For example, if a victim seeks out services after leaving their abuser, but is still on their plan, this bill would make it so the abuser does not receive an explanation of benefits or the results of sensitive lab tests or anything of that nature after the victim receives said services. This is a big deal for a number of reasons. To give just one example, receiving an EOB could easily give away the location of a victim who is on the run from their abuser or in hiding.
DCADV has a letter campaign you can use to send an email in support of this bill here.
