Committee Agenda Report: Week of 6/13/22
Prepared By Dustyn Thompson, David Rugg, Julie McIndoe
As a reminder, this is the last “official” week of committee hearings, so forgive us for the length, but yeah… here we go.
The House is still offering a call in option and the Senate committees are all still virtual only.
Bills coming up the week of 6/13/22:
| Bill Number | Sponsor | Summary/Description | Committee | Date | Time | Registration Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB 394 | Rep. Lambert | Ensures that good time credits for incarcerated individuals are transparent and not taken away for cruel and frivolous reasons | Senate Corrections & Public Safety | 6/14/22 | 10:00 AM | Register Here |
| HB 342 w/ HA 1, HA 2 | Rep. Minor Brown | Part of the Mom-nibus bill package. This bill ensures pregnant inmates can not be shackled during labor | Senate Corrections & Public Safety | 6/14/22 | 10:00 AM | Register Here |
| HB 205 | Rep. Lambert | Delaware EARNS program that allows workers who do not have access to a retirement plan to be able to save for retirement | Senate Labor | 6/14/22 | 10:00 AM | Register Here |
| HJR 7 | Rep. Baumbach | After Action Reviews to assess the State’s pandemic response. DEMA and DPH will maintain the ability to increase personnel and supplies as needed in response to future surges of COVID-19. Additionally, the Joint Resolution directs the Legislative and Executive branches to work together on initiatives to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. | Senate Health & Social Services | 6/15/22 | 10:00 AM | Register Here |
| HB 334 | Rep. Bentz | Expands telehealth in Delaware | Senate Health & Social Services | 6/15/22 | 10:00 AM | Register Here |
| HB 234 | Rep. Minor Brown | Expand Medicaid coverage to pregnant women from the current coverage of 60-days from the end of pregnancy under federal Medicaid regulations to 12 months from the end of pregnancy. | Senate Health & Social Services | 6/15/22 | 10:00 AM | Register Here |
| HB 303 | Rep. Longhurst | Requires coverage of an annual behavioral health well check | Senate Health & Social Services | 6/15/22 | 10:00 AM | Register Here |
| SB 316 | Sen. Pinkney | Caps the amount that an individual, group, or State employee plan may charge for diabetes equipment and supplies, other than insulin, at $35 per month | Senate Banking, Insurance, et al | 6/15/22 | 10:00 AM | Register Here |
| SB 292 | Sen Hansen | Expands access to overdose reversal drugs | House Health & Human Behavior | 6/15/22 | 11:00 AM | 1-800-285-6670 Password: HEALTH Meeting Livestream |
| SB 280 | Sen. McBride | This Act requires medical marijuana compassion centers and safety compliance facilities that have 20 or more employees to have a labor peace agreement with 1 more bona fide labor organizations | House Health & Human Behavior | 6/15/22 | 11:00 AM | 1-800-285-6670 Password: HEALTH Meeting Livestream |
| 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. | House Health & Human Behavior | 6/15/22 | 11:00 AM | 1-800-285-6670 Password: HEALTH Meeting Livestream |
| SB 309 | Sen. Hansen | Removes any and all caps on chiropractic care for chronic pain | House Health & Human Behavior | 6/15/22 | 11:00 AM | 1-800-285-6670 Password: HEALTH Meeting Livestream |
| HB 377 | Rep. S. 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 | Senate Education | 6/15/22 | 11:30 AM | Register Here |
| HB 25 | Rep. Dorsey Walker | Same Day Voter Registration | Senate Elections | 6/15/22 | 11:30 AM | Register Here |
| HB 375 | Rep. Bolden | Establishes the Racial Equity Consortium (“Consortium”) for the purposes of studying and making recommendations to address the disparities and inequities faced by persons of color in this State | Senate Elections | 6/15/22 | 11:30 AM | Register Here |
| SB 320 | Sen. Gay | Vote by mail | Senate Elections | 6/15/22 | 11:30 AM | Register Here |
| SB 8 | Sen. Sokola | Bans Machine Guns | Senate Executive | 6/15/22 | 12:00 PM | Register Here |
| SB 302 | Sen. Townsend | Enable firearm manufacturers and retail dealers to be held accountable when they knowingly or recklessly take actions that endanger the health and safety of residents of this State through the sale, manufacture, distribution, and marketing of firearm-related products. | Senate Executive | 6/15/22 | 12:00 PM | Register Here |
| HB 450 | Rep. Longhurst | Bans assault weapons in DE | Senate Executive | 6/15/22 | 12:00 PM | Register Here |
| HB 220 | Rep. Wilson-Antonn | Green Amendment: First leg of a constitutional amendment which would guarantee the right to pure water, clean air, stable climate and healthy environments for all Delaware people. | House Administration | 6/15/22 | 12:00 PM | Meeting Link: TBD 1-888-272-8703 Password: ADMIN Meeting Livestream |
| HB 405 | Rep. Kowalko | Establishes the Office of Inspector General. This position would be selected through a process that requires a panel to provide three names to the governor for consideration. The governor would select a nominee from those names and submit the nominee for confirmation by the Senate. | House Administration | 6/15/22 | 12:00 PM | Meeting Link: TBD 1-888-272-8703 Password: ADMIN Meeting Livestream |
| SB 258 | Sen Lopez | Allows for recovery for damages related to injured or deceased pets that are tortiously injured by a third party or a third party’s animal | House Judiciary | 6/15/22 | 1:00 PM | 1-866-403-9129 Password: JUDICIARY Livestream |
| HB 447 | Rep. Chukwuocha | Requires that cases or charges that are more than 7 years old be treated as “resolved in favor of” a child or adult if there is no disposition available for the case and no outstanding warrants | House Judiciary | 6/15/22 | 1:00 PM | 1-866-403-9129 Password: JUDICIARY Livestream |
| SB 289 | Sen. Poore | Expands the sexual extortion statute | House Judiciary | 6/15/22 | 1:00 PM | 1-866-403-9129 Password: JUDICIARY Livestream |
| HB 379 | Rep. Dukes | Allows automatic Expungement for Juveniles who choose to participate in the Juvenile Offender Civil Citation Program after one year of successful completion of the program | House Judiciary | 6/15/22 | 1:00 PM | 1-866-403-9129 Password: JUDICIARY Livestream |
| SB 144 | Sen. Pinkney | Modernizes the hate crime statute and consolidates related offenses together with the hate crime statute in the Criminal Code | House Judiciary | 6/15/22 | 1:00 PM | 1-866-403-9129 Password: JUDICIARY Livestream |
| HB 244 | Rep. Lynn | Fines and Fees reform from the DE Campaign to End Debtors Prisons | Senate Judiciary | 6/15/22 | 1:00 PM | Register Here |
| HB 77 | Rep. Kowalko | Banning carcinogenic fire retardants in children's products | Senate Energy & Environment | 6/15/22 | 1:00 PM | Register Here |
| HB 239 | Rep. Lambert | Allows a landlord to offer the tenant an option to pay a recurring fee in lieu of a security deposit | House Housing | 6/15/22 | 5:00 PM | 1-866-403-9129 Password: HOUSING Livestream |
| HB 366 | Rep. Morrison | Requiring employer and job position on campaign donation disclosures | House Admin | 6/16/22 | 12:00 PM | 1-866-578-1005 Password: ADMIN Livestream |
| SB 298 | Sen. Hansen | Changes the residential solar program to prevent a shut down | House Natural Resources | 6/16/22 | 1:00 PM | 1-888-272-8703 Password: RESOURCES Livestream |
| SB 305 | Sen. Hansen | Climate Change Solutions Act. Sets a 50% emission reduction goal by 2030 and 90% by 2050, codifies the climate action plan while increasing engagement with overburdened communities, brings back the state energy office and 5 year energy plan | House Natural Resources | 6/16/22 | 1:00 PM | 1-888-272-8703 Password: RESOURCES Livestream |
| HB 458 | Rep. Chukwuocha | Authorizes the City of Wilmington to acquire vacant or abandoned property through the exercise of eminent domain when an ordinance declares the acquisition part of a community development plan necessary to prevent the decline or decay of the property or its surrounding area. Housing advocates oppose this bill. | House Administration | 6/15/22 | 12:00 PM | 1-888-272-8703 Password: ADMIN Livestream |
SOME Of Top Priority Legislation This Week:
Gun Violence Prevention
Bills aimed at reducing gun violence in Delaware are in various stages of the legislative process. Three of the six-bill package will have a hearing this week. In a June 2, 2022 Delaware.gov article, Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence Executive Director Traci Murphy said, “Delaware must question what kinds of deadly weapons we allow to be sold, and to whom, in our state. To that end, we applaud the General Assembly for filing both a ban on the sale of assault-style weapons and a bill raising the minimum age for purchase.”
Senate Executive Committee
Wednesday, June 15th at 12:00 PM
SB8, sponsored by Senator Sokola, defines a machine gun as it is defined under federal law. Defining machine gun makes clear the types of weapons prohibited under Delaware law, including an auto sear, or “glock switch”, which transforms a semiautomatic gun into a machine gun. Additionally, this Act prohibits a person from making a destructive weapon, including a machine gun.
SB302, sponsored by Senator Townsend, repeals the part of Delaware Code that grants a firearm dealer full immunity from liability, even if the firearm dealer is negligent in selling a firearm to a straw purchaser. In addition, the bill provides a cause of action to enable firearm manufacturers and retail dealers to be held accountable when they knowingly or recklessly take actions that endanger the health and safety of residents of this State through the sale, manufacture, distribution, and marketing of firearm-related products.
HB450, sponsored by Representative Longhurst, prohibits the manufacture, sale, offer to sell, transfer, purchase, receipt, possession, or transport of assault weapons. HB450 was reported out of the House Appropriations and Administration Committees on June 8th. The bill passed the House the next day.
Environment and Energy
There are three bills aimed at protecting the Environment and transitioning us away from fossil fuels and over to clean energy.
House Adminstration Committee
Wednesday, June 15th at 12:00 PM
1-888-272-8703 Password: ADMIN
House Bill 220, the Green Amendment, is the first leg of a constitutional amendment which would guarantee the right to pure water, clean air, stable climate and healthy environments for all Delaware people. DNREC has now come out against this bill and certainly the polluters are stepping up to stop us as well. That is why your voice is needed before Wednesdays committee hearing. Send a letter to your legislators using this tool from Delaware Working Families Party and their partners.
House Natural Resources Committee
Thursday, June 16th at 1:00 PM
1-888-272-8703 Password: RESOURCES
Senate Bill 305, the Climate Change Solutions Act, seeks to cut emissions in Delaware by 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050, setting the stage for one of the most aggressive net zero goals in the nation. You can bet the farm that the Fossil Fuel lobby, the Koch Brothers, the Utilities and Natural Gas Reps, and so many climate deniers are all lining up to stop this bill in committee this week. They know that if it is released, then we have a clear path towards a carbon neutral Delaware by 2050. In the Senate Committee, advocates were easily matched, causing the news reporters to declare this bill a high risk bill for 2022. You can send a letter to your legislator to help ensure this bill moves forward here. Advocates are meeting at Legislative Hall in the lobby at 12:30 for testimony, wear green.
Senate Bill 298 expands our state’s net metering program in Delaware, but has received some criticism from advocates. The main point of the bill is to prevent a total shut down of residential solar in 2/3s of our state for at least the next 3 years while the state works on the next program for residential solar. However, to do that concessions were made to the utility to bring the current program back in line with the initial intent of the law. According to the utilities, net metering was for consumers to offset their own energy use with solar, not to become a solar generator paid at retail prices. The committee hearing should be interesting.
Voting Reforms
There are two bills up for a hearing this week to reform our elections here in Delaware. Both of the bills are in the Senate Elections Committee. House Bill 25 seeks to create a process for same-day voter registration in Delaware. The bill narrowly passed the House last week with only 3 votes over the majority needed but now heads to the Senate for consideration. Meanwhile, the long-awaited Vote by Mail legislation was finally filed by Senator Gay last week. Senate Bill 320 would establish a permanent vote by mail system modeled after the processes used during the pandemic and processes used successfully in several other states across the nation. You can register to testify or attend that committee hearing here.
