Legislative Recap: April 5th - 7th
The Delaware General Assembly met on April 5 -7, 2022 to discuss and vote on legislation intended to impact and improve the lives of all Delawareans. Lawmakers passed 15 bills and 10 resolutions. This legislation addressed changes/corrections to the Delaware Code and government operations, and highlighted specific issues/causes. Their important work included:
Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 187, sponsored by Senator McBride, makes it easier and more convenient to own an electric vehicle in this State in the years to come, resulting in increased purchases of electric vehicles, promoting cleaner air and water, and resulting in improved health outcomes for Delawareans and a reduction of greenhouse gasses to curtail global warming. (Passed the Senate 16 Yes, 5 No and defeated in the House 23 Yes, 16 No, 2 Absent)
Senate Bill 238 with Senate Amendment 1, sponsored by Senator Poore, amends the Delaware City Charter to provide that the Mayor and Council may impose a 3% tax on gross rental income for any lot operating a park for recreational vehicles, load or truck campers, camping trailers, travel trailers, trailers, or motorhomes, located within the boundaries of the city. (Passed the Senate 21 Yes, 0 No and passed the House 38 Yes, 0 No, 3 Absent)
House Bill 360 with House Amendment 1, sponsored by Representative Longhurst, which shall be known as the 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate Program, creates a “relief rebate” which is a one-time direct payment of $300 per Delaware resident taxpayer. The Department of Finance will then work with the Department of Technology and Information to implement a process by which eligible residents who have not been identified by other means can apply for and receive the relief rebate, subject to verification of their identity and eligibility. This relief is intended to help Delawareans grappling with significant inflation at the grocery store and gas pump. (Passed the House 35 Yes, 3 No, 3 absent)
House Bill 320, sponsored by Representative Heffernan, allows physician assistants and advanced practice registered nurses to prescribe medication for the termination of pregnancy including Mifeprex, Mifepristone, and Misoprostol. (Passed the Senate 14 Yes, 7 No and passed the House 25 Yes, 15 No, 1 Absent)
Additional Legislation
DISABILITY
House Bill 311 with House Amendment 2, sponsored by Representative Griffith, clarifies the scope and protections for individuals with disabilities under the Delaware Equal Accommodations Law (DEAL) and further aligns definitions and scope of DEAL with federal law protecting individuals with disabilities from discrimination by places of public accommodation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. (Passed the House 36 Yes, 0 No, 5 absent)
ECONOMICS
Senate Bill 224, sponsored by Senator Pettyjohn, raises the threshold limit requiring a building and loan association to obtain federal deposit insurance from $10,000,000 to $15,000,000. This threshold limit was last increased in 2019. The State Bank Commissioner does not oppose this change. (Passed the Senate 19 Yes, 0 No, 2 absent)
House Bill 365, sponsored by Representative Schwartzkopf, establishes the pilotage rates for the Pilots’ Association for the Bay and River Delaware for 2023, 2024, and 2025. (Passed the House 37 Yes, 0 No, 4 absent)
EDUCATION
Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 4 sponsored by Senator Sturgeon, requires the Department of Education (Department) to maintain and publish a list of evidence-based, reading instruction curriculum for grades kindergarten through 3. Each curriculum on this list must align with the essential components of literacy, known as the “science of reading” and use high-quality instructional materials. (Passed the Senate 21 Yes, 0 No)
ELECTORAL REFORM
House Bill 307, sponsored by Representative Gray, amends the Town of South Bethany Charter to provide the correct citation to charter provisions relating to residency. Additionally, the Council organizational meeting will be within 30 days after the election of members instead of being the first Saturday after the elections. (Passed the House 39 Yes, 0 No, 2 Absent)
HEALTH CARE CAPACITY
House Bill 279 with House Amendment 1, sponsored by Representative Bush, establishes certification and continuing education requirements for central service technicians working in hospitals and freestanding surgical centers. Central service technicians are an important part of the healthcare team responsible for decontaminating, inspecting, assembling, disassembling, packaging, and sterilizing reusable surgical instruments and equipment. This Act requires individuals who perform the tasks of a central service technician to pass a nationally accredited examination and to hold either a certified registered central service technician credential or certified sterile processing and distribution technician credential within 18 months of hire. This Act grandfathers anyone working as a central service technician in a healthcare facility on or before January 1, 2023. (Passed the House 39 Yes, 0 No, 2 Absent)
LGBTQ
Senate Bill 231, sponsored by Senator Gay, prohibits the use of gender, gender identity, or sex as a rating factor in personal automobile insurance policies. The Gender Disparities in Auto Insurance Pricing Report issued by the Delaware Department of Insurance and Consumer Federation of America shows that many insured Delaware women are charged more than men even when all other factors, including drivers’ history, are the same. Six states have similar existing laws: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. (Passed the Senate 11 Yes, 8 No, 2 not voting)
WORKFORCE
Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 208, sponsored by Senator Walsh, clarifies that an employer is liable to an employee for liquidated damages if the employer does not make wages available on the next payday after an employee quits, resigns, is discharged, suspended, or laid off. (Passed the Senate 20 Yes, 0 No, 1 not voting)
House Bill 373, sponsored by Representative Schwartzkopf, makes it clear that persons 14 and 15 years of age can be employed in such places where alcoholic liquors are served, but cannot be involved in the sale or service of alcoholic liquor. (Passed the House 36 Yes, 0 No, 5 absent)
OTHER
Senate Bill 217, sponsored by Senator Ennis, amends Section 4106 to clarify and confirm that vehicles of the Delaware State Fire Prevention Commission are emergency vehicles that may be equipped with emergency lights. (Passed the Senate 21 Yes, 0 No)
House Bill 273, sponsored by Representative Osienski, updates the synthetic cannabinoids listed on Schedule I of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act by using broader language so that new synthetic cannabinoids created after the enactment of this Act fall within this definition without needing to be specifically listed. (Passed the House 37 Yes, 0 No, 4 absent)
RESOLUTIONS
House Resolution 20, sponsored by Representative Ramone, honors the memory and celebrates the life of Mrs. Sue Barbetta, who departed this life in January of the year 2022 by establishing February 18th as “Lifelong Educator Day”. (Passed the House by voice vote)
House Concurrent Resolution 66, Sponsored by Representative Baumbach, proclaims the month of April 2022 as “Financial Literacy Month,” in the State of Delaware. (Passed the Senate 21 Yes, 0 No and passed the House by voice vote)
House Concurrent Resolution 67, Sponsored by Representative Baumbach, designates the week of April 3rd-9th, 2022, as “National Library Week” and calls upon Delawareans to support libraries. (Passed the Senate 21 Yes, 0 No and passed the House by voice vote)
House Concurrent Resolution 68, Sponsored by Representative Dorsey Walker, recognizes April 6, 2022 as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority or “AKA Day at the Capitol” in Delaware. (Passed the Senate 21 Yes, 0 No and passed the House by voice vote)
Senate Concurrent Resolution 80, sponsored by Senator Lawson, recognizes March 29, 2022 as "National Vietnam War Veterans Day" in Delaware. (Passed the Senate 21 Yes, 0 No, and passed the House by voice vote)
Senate Concurrent Resolution 82, sponsored by Senator Sturgeon, supports the Department of Education's review of the requirements for educator certification and efforts to strengthen these requirements to include demonstrated knowledge of the essential components of evidence-based reading instruction, known as the "science of reading". (Passed the Senate 21 Yes, 0 No)
Senate Concurrent Resolution 83, sponsored by Senator Gay, recognizes April 2 through 8, 2022 as “Week of the Young Child” in Delaware. (Passed the Senate 19 Yes, 0 No, 2 absent and passed the House by voice vote)
Senate Concurrent Resolution 84, sponsored by Senator Bonini, recognizes April 2022 as "Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month" in the State of Delaware. (Passed the Senate 19 Yes, 0 No, 2 absent and passed the House by voice vote)
Senate Concurrent Resolution 85, sponsored by Senator Richardson, recognizes April 2022 as "Child Abuse Prevention Month" in the State of Delaware. (Passed the Senate 19 Yes, 0 No, 2 absent and passed the House by voice vote)
Senate Concurrent Resolution 86, sponsored by Senator Wilson, designates April 6, 2022 as "National Tartan Day" and commemorates the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish-Americans to the United States. (Passed the Senate 21 Yes, 0 No)
