Daily Report for 10/19/2017

Governor's Actions

BillCurrent StatusSponsorSynopsisTitle
SB 78 w/ SA 1SignedSokolaThis Act enhances penalties for drivers who cause serious physical injury, as defined in § 222 of Title 11, to a vulnerable user, as defined in this Act. For a person to be guilty under this Act, the injured vulnerable user must be lawfully using a highway, defined in § 101 of Title 29 as "the entire width between boundary lines of every way or place of whatever nature open to the use of the public as a matter of right for purposes of vehicular travel . . . ." This Act also expands the circumstances in which a driver is criminally liable from violations of the careless or inattentive driving law to any violation of the rules of the road, Chapter 41 of Title 21, that result for a serious physical injury to a vulnerable user. Finally, this Act gives Superior Court jurisdiction over these violations due to the serious nature of the injuries required to be suffered by a vulnerable user.AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RULES OF THE ROAD.
HB 8SignedHeffernanThis bill seeks to expand the eligibility criteria for the Juvenile Offender Civil Citation Program by including the offense of possession of drug paraphernalia and permitting a second referral to the Juvenile Offender Civil Citation Program where the first referral occurred more than 18 months ago and was not a referral for the same offense.AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE JUVENILE OFFENDER CIVIL CITATION PROGRAM.
HB 6SignedBentzThis Act codifies a juvenile's right to counsel in Family Court delinquency proceedings. The bill outlines certain circumstances where a juvenile may not waive the right to counsel: where the juvenile is accused of a felony, where the juvenile is in the custody of the Division of Family Services, where the juvenile is under the age of 16, or where the victim of the alleged delinquent act is a family member or guardian or where the family member or guardian has an interest adverse to the juvenile. The bill also codifies a right to counsel in criminal contempt proceedings related to truancy in the Justice of the Peace Court. The procedures for appointment and waiver are the same as set forth for Family Court.AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO A JUVENILE'S RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN FAMILY COURT AND THE JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURT.
HB 9 w/ HA 1SignedJ. JohnsonThis bill allows judicial discretion when juveniles are charged with any of the five specific offenses carved out in state code that say a juvenile of 16 or older, or 15 in the case of § 1447A, must be prosecuted as an adult. The bill simply changes the language from ‘shall’ to ‘may’ to allow judges to weigh the possibility that the juvenile may be better served in Delaware’s Family Court system via the amenability process already enumerated in Title 10 § 1010 and § 1011. Four of the five statutes date back to 1972. The most recent change pertaining to the ages of juveniles affected was in 1996 when lawmakers dropped the age requirement on Section 1447A from 16 to 15. This bill also raises the age in § 1447A to 16, as well.AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CERTAIN CRIMES.
HB 185SignedMitchellThe “Bicycle Friendly Delaware Act” would update Delaware code in conformance with recommended changes to the Uniform Vehicle Code from both the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (Rules of the Road Committee) and the League of American Bicyclists (Legal Affairs Committee). Without changing the legal meaning of existing law, these updates would clarify sections of the Delaware Rules of the Road that are frequently misunderstood by the police, by bicycle operators and by vehicle drivers. In addition, the Act would enable the Department of Transportation to deploy bicycle traffic signals as a safety countermeasure at intersections where most fatal bicycle crashes occur; require vehicles to change lanes when passing bicycles (and farm equipment and animal-drawn vehicles) when lanes are too narrow; permit safe yielding by bicycle operators at stop sign-controlled intersections with minor roads; and prohibit the use of horns when passing animal-drawn vehicles and bicycles.AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RULES OF THE ROAD

New Legislation Introduced

No Introduced Legislation

Legislation Passed By Senate

No Legislation Passed By Senate

Legislation Passed By House of Representatives

No Legislation Passed By House

Senate Committee Assignments

No Senate Committee Assignments

House Committee Assignments

No House Committee Assignments

Senate Committee Report

No Senate Committee Report

House Committee Report

No House Committee Report

Senate Defeated Legislation

No Senate Defeated Legislation

House Defeated Legislation

No House Defeated Legislation

Nominations Enacted upon by the Senate

No Records