Committee Agenda Report: June 7th-8th
Prepared By Dustyn Thompson, David Rugg, Julie McIndoe
This is the final two weeks of committee hearings. This week you can expect to see a lot of the bills from the originating chamber in said chamber, switching to a lot of the bills from the opposing chamber being heard. This is to essentially tell the other side what their priorities are and to ensure that said priority legislation has a chance at being heard before the end of session, without the chamber rules around committee hearings having to be suspended.
The House is back with phone-in numbers this week!
The Senate is still doing committees with virtual access (hybrid), so the registration links are provided.
| Bill Number | Sponsor | Summary/Description | Committee | Date | Time | Registration Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB 235 | Sen. Richardson | 20-week abortion ban | Senate Sunset | 6/7/22 | 10:00 AM | Register |
| HB 181 | Rep. Lynn | Puts a cap on interest loans (payday loans or other “predatory loans”) | House Econ Development | 6/7/22 | 11:00 AM | 1-888-272-8703 Password: ECON |
| HB 423 | Rep. Mitchell | Creates the Firearm Transaction Approval Program (FTAP) within the State Bureau of Identification (SBI) of the Delaware State Police and designates the SBI's FTAP as the point of contact between an FFL and the federal databases checked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes of conducting background checks for firearm purchases or transfers. | House Public Safety | 6/7/22 | 12:00 PM | 1-866-403-9129 Password: SAFETY |
| HB 435 | Rep. Lambert | Requires that all large public works construction projects, utilizing state funds, are to be governed by a Community Workforce Agreement with labor organizations engaged in the construction industry to provide structure and stability and promote efficient completion. | House Labor | 6/7/22 | 12:00 PM | 1-800-285-6670 Password: LABOR |
| SB 300 | Sen. McBride | Updates the mandatory reporting requirements for Delaware physicians with anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges. These changes are necessary to ensure that physicians are able to seek treatment without undue stigma or fear of loss of medical licensure. | Senate Health & Social Services | 6/8/22 | 10:00 AM | Register |
| SB 301 | Sen. Gay | Provides incentives for Delawareans to donate organs and bone marrow for transplantation and for Delaware employers to grant paid time off to employees who donate organs and bone marrow for transplantation. | Senate Health & Social Services | 6/8/22 | 10:00 AM | Register |
| HB 399 | Rep. Bennett | Authorizes pharmacists to order and perform tests authorized by the FDA and CLIA-waived and provide treatment for such health conditions. | Senate Health & Social Services | 6/8/22 | 10:00 AM | Register |
| HB 450 | Rep. Longhurst | Assault Weapons ban | House Admin | 6/8/22 | 10:00 AM | 1-866-403-9129 Password: ADMIN |
| HB 451 | Rep. Schwartzkopf | Raises the age to purchase a firearm to 21 | House Admin | 6/8/22 | 10:00 AM | 1-866-403-9129 Password: ADMIN |
| HB 455 | Rep. Minor Brown | Ensures abortion access continues in DE, regardless of what the supreme court or states around us do. This bill also expands who can provide a medical abortion in Delaware | House Health & Human Development | 6/8/22 | 11:00 AM | 1-800-285-6670 Password: HEALTH |
| SB 13 | Sen. Pinkney | Bans the box, or the removal of questions about one’s criminal conviction history on a college or job application, on college education applications in Delaware. | Senate Education | 6/8/22 | 11:30 AM | Register |
| SB 305 | Sen. Hansen | Limits Greenhouse Gas emissions to 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050 and directs all state agencies to combat climate change and eliminate emissions to obtain those goals, codifies the climate action plan, and brings back the state energy office 5 year energy plan. | Senate Energy & Environment | 6/8/22 | 1:00 PM | Register |
| SB 310 | Sen. Hansen | Updates the governor's energy advisory council membership and duties to include representatives from overburdened communities, energy specialists, and utilities. | Senate Energy & Environment | 6/8/22 | 1:00 PM | Register |
Top Priority Legislation This Week:
Abortion Access In Delaware
Do you ever feel like someone in your life is just a broken record, saying the same thing over again no matter how many times they have been told no, or that they are wrong? Sure you do, his name is Senator Richardson. We are back with yet another attempt from Senator Richardson to institute an abortion ban in Delaware. This one with a horrid name that is sure to look great on campaign literature, “The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.” Yeah…. Hey Senator Richardson, no means no in Delaware.
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Meanwhile, the Democrats led by Rep. Minor Brown have introduced legislation that would further ensure abortion access continues in DE, regardless of what the supreme court or the states around us do. This bill also expands who can provide a medical abortion in Delaware
From House Dems:
As states across the country move to pass increasingly restrictive anti-abortion laws ahead of the expected U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn the federal right to abortion established by Roe v. Wade, lawmakers have announced new legislation that would significantly strengthen abortion rights protections.
HB 455, sponsored by Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown Rep. Valerie Maglio Longhurst, Rep. Debra Heffernan, and Sen. Kyle Evans Gay would expand on earlier efforts to safeguard reproductive rights and includes several protections for providers and out-of-state residents seeking or receiving reproductive health care services in Delaware.
Reproductive health rights protections under HB 455 would include:
Professional license protection for providers.
Medical record protection, including communications and records concerning reproductive health services, unless those records are needed to investigate claims of abuse against a provider.
Protection from civil actions in another state for those who provide or receive legal reproductive healthcare in Delaware.
Protection from extradition to other states for criminal charges related to terminating a pregnancy.
A cause of action where someone sued in another state for allegedly receiving or providing abortion services that are legal in Delaware can recover related costs, damages, or attorney fees.
The legislation would also expand the field of qualified medical professionals who can perform abortions, before viability, to include physician assistants, certified nurse practitioners, and nurse-midwives who are approved by the Board of Nursing.
Gun Bills
Recent events have sparked renewed action on a wide variety of gun violence prevention measures across the country. Here in Delaware, a package of bills will be heard in various committees this week. AS part of the package, the following bills are a reasonable step in the right direction to try and reduce the unnecessary loss of life due to gun violence.
HB 423, sponsored by Representative Mitchell, creates the Firearm Transaction Approval Program (FTAP) within the State Bureau of Identification (SBI) of the Delaware State Police. Federal law permits states to require federal firearms licensees (FFLs) to conduct background checks through a state agency, or point of contact, instead of directly through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The bill designates the SBI's FTAP as the point of contact between an FFL and the federal databases checked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes of conducting background checks for firearm purchases or transfers.
In a Blue Delaware article, Representative Mitchell said, “Re-establishing FTAP will help us identify people who would otherwise be prohibited but NICS might have missed, such as a person convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense. It will make our background check system stronger and more thorough and provide more protection for residents.”
HB 450, sponsored by Representative Longhurst, prohibits the manufacture, sale, offer to sell, transfer, purchase, receipt, possession, or transport of assault weapons in Delaware, subject to certain exceptions.
An assault weapons ban was called for by President Biden last week and is supported by Governor Carney (as well as the other bills in the package). In a WDEL.com article, Governor Carney said, "We have an obligation to do everything we can to prevent tragedies like we’ve seen across the country from happening here in Delaware. This is a historic, meaningful package of legislation and I look forward to seeing these bills on my desk this session."
HB 451, sponsored by Representative Schwartzkopf, makes a person under the age of 21 prohibited from purchasing, owning, possessing, or controlling a firearm or ammunition of a firearm except under limited circumstances.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third leading cause of death for 10-24 after homicides and accidents. (Everytown for Gun Safety) Raising the minimum age for firearm/ammunition purchases can have a significant impact on gun violence deaths here in Delaware.
Climate Change Solutions Act
Senate Hansen has introduced Senate Bill 305, the Climate Change Solutions Act, in response to calls from advocates, many of whom are probably reading this post, to take action on the Climate Emergency in Delaware.
This legislation does 99% of what advocates have been calling for since January. Namely, it limits Greenhouse Gas emissions to 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050 as compared to 2005 levels. It also directs all state agencies to combat climate change and eliminate emissions through direct actions and regulations in order to aid in the meeting of those goals. Moreover, it states clearly that state agencies may not adopt regulations that go against the state’s ability to meet the emission reduction goals.
SB 305 also specifically and directly recognizes the historical harm done by climate change in overburdened and disadvantaged communities and requires that during the next climate action plan process that these communities be specifically engaged. It also states, multiple times, that equity must be centered when emissions are reduced.
The bill generally codifies the climate action plan process that took place in 2018-2019 but adds a large degree of transparency and public input into the process.
Finally, SB 305 brings back the state energy office, appoints a director of the office, and fully tasks them with the creation of a comprehensive 5-year energy plan for the state.
The Rally for the Planet on June 9th has now transitioned from demanding this legislation be introduced to demanding that this legislation be passed. You can join WFP, Sierra Club, Interfaith Power & Light, and many many others on the 9th at 11 AM by RSVPing here. If you cannot make it, you can send a letter to your legislators here.
Community Workforce Agreements
2022 had been a relatively quiet year for big labor bills, but that has changed now that WFP Champion Larry Lambert has introduced House Bill 435, the Community Workforce Agreement Act. With hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure spending coming into Delaware over the next few years, this bill makes sure that all state-funded construction projects that cost over $3 million will have a Community Workforce Agreement with labor organizations to provide structure and stability.
Beyond making sure projects are completed more efficiently and effectively, it also will be a huge win for our diverse working class in Delaware. It will secure more good-paying union jobs through large projects and apprenticeship programs, and it will also give historically underrepresented people of color, women, and those from disadvantaged communities priority in referral, training, and placement.
This bill will be in the Labor Committee on Tuesday, but faces an uphill battle against a corporate-friendly legislature and governor. You can help get it over the line by contacting your legislators today.