| SB 71 | Committee | Seigfried | This Act creates a special open enrollment period for persons who are already enrolled in a Medicare supplement policy or certificate to cancel their existing policy or certificate and purchase another Medicare supplement policy or certificate that provides the same or lesser benefits. Only persons who are already enrolled in a Medicare supplement policy or certificate are eligible for the special open enrollment period. The special enrollment period begins 30 days before an eligible person's birthday and remains open for at least 30 days following the eligible person's birthday. During this special open enrollment period, individuals switching from one Medicare supplement policy to another cannot be denied coverage and coverage and rates cannot be dependent upon the person’s medical history. The Act also obligates issuers to notify eligible persons who are enrolled in their Medicare supplement policies or certificates of the dates of the open enrollment period, at least 30 days before it begins, and of any modification to the benefits provided by the policy under which the person is currently insured.
This Act also allows persons enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan to cancel their existing policy, enroll in Medicare during the annual Medicare open enrollment period and apply for a Medicare supplement policy. For individuals switching from Medicare Advantage to a Medicare supplement policy, the Act prohibits issuers of Medicare supplement policies from denying applications for such policies but does allow issuers to individually rate and apply a pre-existing condition limitation.
| AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT POLICIES. |
| SCR 47 | Passed Senate | Brown | This Concurrent Resolution reestablishes the Port of Wilmington Expansion Task Force ("Task Force"). The Task Force was previously created by House Concurrent Resolution No. 38 in the 148th General Assembly and concluded that port expansion should be pursued by the State and the Diamond State Port Corporation.
The General Assembly is reestablishing the Task Force to monitor the port expansion project, to report monthly to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives on the progress of the port expansion project, and to provide recommendations to the General Assembly that ensure the success of the planned port expansion and foster continued growth in Delaware's maritime economy.
| REESTABLISHING A PORT OF WILMINGTON EXPANSION TASK FORCE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PORT DEVELOPMENT PLANS. |
| SB 99 | Committee | Poore | This Act creates a background special license plate for the William Penn High School to support scholarships and community events sponsored by the high school.
A background special license plate supports a cause and is available for purchase by the public at large, including members of the organization. The numbers, letters, or both, assigned will be the same as the license plate assigned to the owner’s vehicle at the time of the application for the plate.
This Act requires a greater-than-majority vote for passage because § 11 of Article VIII of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of three-fifths for the members elected to each house of the General Assembly when a new tax or license fee is imposed. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES. |
| SA 1 to SB 45 | PWB | Mantzavinos | This amendment raises the aggregate value of the wrongfully obtained property, services, or other benefit from $1,000 to $1,500 for application insurance fraud to constitute a class G felony. | |
| SB 101 | Committee | Poore | This Act expands the definition of “patient-practitioner relationship” to include practitioners and patients, that provide and seek treatment for, opioid use disorder as defined in § 6003 of Title 24.
This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DEFINITION OF THE PATIENT-PRACTITIONER RELATIONSHIP. |
| SB 102 | Committee | Walsh | This Act would limit the opportunity to remain as a licensed apprentice electrician after an individual has already completed an apprentice program approved by the Board of Electrical Examiners.
Apprenticeship is meant to be a first step on a career journey, not a destination. Since the apprentice electrician license was created, the ranks of apprentices have steadily swollen, but a significant number of those apprentices have not moved forward toward more advanced licensing. As the number of these apprentices grows beyond the capacity for more senior licensees to supervise their work, the situation is likely to create confusion among and to threaten the safety of consumers of electrical services in Delaware and the general public.
This bill also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
| AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE BOARD OF ELECTRICAL EXAMINERS. |
| SB 103 | Committee | Walsh | This Act requires that for every public works contract or aggregate of public works contracts relating to a project in excess of $500,000 for new construction (including painting and decorating) or $45,000 for alteration, repair, renovation, rehabilitation, demolition or reconstruction (including painting and decorating of buildings or works) and which is paid for, in whole or in part, with public funds, which requires or involves the employment of mechanics and/or laborers shall contain a provision requiring the payment of the prevailing wage. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO STATE PROCUREMENT. |
| SA 1 to SB 75 | PWB | Paradee | This Amendment adds a reference to § 1335A of Title 4 because both § 1335A and § 1335B of Title 4 apply when a compassion center is granted a conversion license for a retail marijuana store. | |
| SA 2 to SB 75 | PWB | Paradee | Under this Amendment, a county may not prohibit the operation of a retail marijuana store, in an area zoned for commercial or industrial use, because the location is within 500 feet of a place of worship. | |
| SB 104 | Committee | Pinkney | Access to a trauma kit to stop bleeding is a vital first aid tool that can save lives in emergency situations where people are exposed to or may be exposed to traumatic circumstances. This Act defines what a trauma kit is and requires the managing entities of certain buildings acquire and place at least 6 trauma kits in a clearly visible, centrally located, and accessible area. The Act further requires the property managing entity or person to ensure the kits are appropriately placed and replaced if needed. The property managing entity or person must also send notification to tenants of the building regarding the locations of the trauma kits and instructions on how to use them. This Act does not apply to private homes, residences, or vehicles.
The Department of Labor and the Department of Health and Social Services must adopt rules and regulations pertaining to the bill. Any person who violates this Act would be subject to fines of $100 for the first violation and $250 for any subsequent violations.
Use of a trauma kit in an emergency care situation is protected from civil liability pursuant to §§ 6801 and 6802 of Title 16.
This Act becomes effective 180 days upon enactment. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TRAUMA KITS. |
| SB 105 | Committee | Sokola | This Act provides that the Secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security (“Secretary”), or the Secretary’s designee, is a member of the Enhanced 911 Emergency Reporting System Service Board (“Board”) by virtue of the Secretary’s position. This Act also makes the Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee, the Board Chair.
The Secretary is currently, and historically, an appointed member of the Board and this Act would codify that practice.
This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE ENHANCED 911 EMERGENCY REPORTING SYSTEM SERVICE BOARD. |
| SS 1 for SB 2 | Passed Senate | Brown | This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 2. This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 2 in that it incorporates technical corrections made to the Delaware Constitution by House Bill No. 10 (153rd General Assembly).
Like Senate Bill No. 2, this Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment to specifically authorize early, in-person voting for the general election, a primary election, and a special election filling a vacancy in the General Assembly. Specifically, this Act provides that early, in-person voting is to occur on 10 calendar days before the date of the general election, primary election, and special election, including the Saturday and Sunday immediately before the election.
Amending the Delaware Constitution requires not only the passing of the changes in this Act, but also passage of the same changes after the next general election by the next General Assembly.
This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend the Delaware Constitution. | AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE V OF THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO VOTING. |
| SS 1 for SB 3 | Passed Senate | Brown | This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 3. This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 3. in that it incorporates technical corrections made to the Delaware Constitution by House Bill No. 10 (153rd General Assembly).
Like Senate Bill No. 3, this Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment to eliminate the limitations on when an individual may vote absentee and provide an absolute right to vote by absentee ballot without an excuse. This Act is in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Albence v. Higgins, 2022 Del. LEXIS 377 (Del. 2022).
Although Section 1 of this Act creates an absolute right to vote by absentee ballot without an excuse, a qualified voter who desires to cast an absentee ballot must request an absentee ballot from the Department of Elections for each election cycle, unless the qualified voter is granted permanent absentee status. This State’s current absentee voting law authorizes permanent absentee status for various reasons (see § 5503(k) of Title 15 of the Delaware Code) and this Act adopts those reasons. For each election in which a qualified voter votes by absentee ballot under a permanent absentee status, the qualified voter must take an oath or affirmation that the qualified voter remains eligible for permanent absentee status.
Section 2 of this Act requires all absentee ballots to include an oath or affirmation that the qualified voter’s vote is free from improper influence. This oath or affirmation is in lieu of the oath or affirmation otherwise required under Section 3 of Article V of the Delaware Constitution.
Amending the Delaware Constitution requires not only the passing of the changes in this Act, but also passage of the same changes after the next general election by the next General Assembly.
This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend the Delaware Constitution. | AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE V OF THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO VOTING. |
| SB 106 | Committee | Buckson | This Act requires each school district and charter school to adopt a policy, with educator input, about cell phone use by students during school hours. Each policy must contain:
(1) Clear guidelines about what constitutes acceptable cell phone use at school.
(2) A requirement that limits cell phone use during instructional time.
(3) The designation of times and places during which students may use their cell phones at school.
(4) Guidelines that encourage communication between the schools, parents or guardians, and students about the cell phone use policy.
(5) A system of appropriate consequences for violations of the cell phone use policy.
(6) Exceptions that address, and are applicable to, emergency situations and medical or educational accommodations.
Each school district and charter school shall provide the Department with its policy. Each school district and charter school shall post its policy on its website by August 1, 2025. School districts and charter schools are free to amend their cell phone use policies as needed. If a school district or charter school adopts an amended cell phone use policy, it must be provided to the Department and posted on that school district or charter school’s website. | AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CELL PHONE USE IN SCHOOL. |
