| HB 61 | Signed | Baumbach | Benzodiazepine drugs that are approved for medical use in the United States are classified by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency as Schedule IV. Fourteen benzodiazepine drugs are currently listed on Schedule IV of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, § 4720 of Title 16. Benzodiazepine drugs have a serious potential for abuse.
This Act adds both additional benzodiazepine drugs by name and the category of benzodiazepine drugs to Schedule IV of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act so that all current and future benzodiazepine drugs are included on Schedule IV in Delaware, whether or not the specific drug is approved for medical use in the United States. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE UNIFORM CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT. |
| HB 64 | Signed | Osienski | This legislation clarifies the type of signage that can be installed along or within the control zone of a designated Delaware Byway and puts the state into compliance with federal regulations. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 17 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DELAWARE BYWAYS PROGRAM. |
| SB 34 w/ SA 1 | Signed | Hansen | This Act creates a Prescription Opioid Impact Fund (“Fund”) through a prescription opioid impact fee (“Fee”) that is paid by pharmaceutical manufacturer. The anticipated revenue from the Fee is $2.8 million in 2020, $2.7 million in 2021, and $2.5 million in 2022.:
1. The fee is based on the total of the Morphine Milligram Equivalent (“MME”) in each manufacturer’s products dispensed in Delaware, based upon data already reported to the Prescription Monitoring Program (“PMP”). The PMP data contains the mandatory reports by pharmacists of every prescription opioid dispensed in the State. The PMP data does not include prescription opioids administered in hospitals, provided directly to patients by hospice, or dispensed by veterinarians.
2. The fee is assessed on manufacturers who exceed a threshold of 100,000 MMEs dispensed each quarter.
3. The Fee is calculated at a rate of either 1 penny per MME for a name brand prescription opioid dispensed and reported in the PMP or ¼ of a penny per MME for a prescription opioid that is a generic.
The Act also provides that Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services, after receiving recommendations from the Behavioral Health Consortium, the Addiction Action Committee, and the Overdose System of Care Committee, will award grants and contracts from the money in the Fund for the following activities:
1. Opioid addiction prevention.
2. Opioid addiction services, including the following:
3. Inpatient and outpatient treatment programs and facilities, including short-term and long-term residential treatment programs and sober living facilities.
4. Treating substance use disorder for the under-insured and uninsured.
5. Emergency assistance relating to prescription opioids, including purchasing Naloxone.
6. Administrative costs of implementing the Fee and Fund, up to 15% of the amount in the Fund.
Finally, this Act expires in 5 years, unless terminated sooner or extended by the General Assembly, so that the Fee is only continued if it is effective and is not creating negative unintended consequences. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE CREATING A PRESCRIPTION OPIOID IMPACT FUND. |
| SB 42 | Signed | Wilson | This Act expands applicability of the Delaware State Fair Centennial Limited Edition Special License Plate to vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of up to 26,000 pounds, and clarifies that vehicles owned by artificial entities qualify for this plate. This Act also removes a provision regarding vans, as that language is antiquated and no longer necessary. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES. |
| SB 51 | Signed | Hocker | The Town Council for the Town of Millsboro determined that the way they award contracts should be improved. The amount that initiates the process is increased from $20,000 to $50,000 to better reflect the current cost of ordinary purchases that the Town must make. This Act also allows the Town of Millsboro to have the ability to award a contract to a bidder other than the lowest bidder while also laying out the factors that the Town Council must use in determining who is a responsive and responsible bidder in accordance with their bid vetting process. | AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE TOWN OF MILLSBORO RELATING TO CONTRACTS. |
| SA 1 to SB 34 | Passed | Hansen | This Amendment corrects a typographical error and allows money deposited in the Prescription Opioid Impact Fund to be used to support peer support programs. | |
| HCR 26 | Passed | Bolden | This House Concurrent Resolution designates April 2, 2019 AS "EQUAL PAY DAY" in the State of Delaware. | DESIGNATING APRIL 2, 2019 AS "EQUAL PAY DAY" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE. |
