Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 365

FORMERLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 654

AS AMENDED BY HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1

AN ACT CREATING AN URBAN COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION STUDY TASK FORCE; PROVIDING FOR MEMBERSHIP, ORGANIZATION, AND PURPOSE OF THE TASK FORCE: AND REQUIRING A REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR.

WHEREAS, there are certain urban areas within the State of Delaware which lack an appr o priate

number of retail, commercial and manufacturing business concerns, given the population of those urban areas;

WHEREAS, the lack of such retail, commercial and manufacturing business concerns within those urban areas has resulted in substantial unemployment, threatens the economic stability of those urban areas, discourages thrift and depresses the standard of living of the residents of those urban areas, all to the detriment of the public health, welfare and order;

WHEREAS, the adverse conditions in such urban areas are chronic problems which heretofore have resisted solution under current State laws, regulations and policies;

WHEREAS, the citizens of this State would benefit from a study of the adverse conditions in the aforementioned urban areas, which would, interalia, suggest changes to State of Del a ware laws, regulations or policies in order to help correct those adverse conditions.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section I. An "Urban Community Revitalization Study Task Force" (the "Task Force") is hereby created to investigate, examine, identify and study the adverse conditions in the aforementioned urban areas and to suggest changes to State of Delaware laws, regulations or policies that may prove helpful to correcting such adverse conditions.

The Task Force shall consist of the following members: one State Representative appoin t ed by the Speaker of the House; one State Senator appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; a representative from the Delaware Development Office; a representative from the Delaware Labor epartment; a representative from the Delaware Department of Rev e nue; the Director of Bureau of Economic and Business Research, University of Delaware; an Urban Economist, University of Delaware, to be selected by the Dean of the College of U r ban Affairs and Public Policy of the University of Delaware; a representative from the Mayor's Office of the City of Wilmington; a representative from Kent County to be selected by the Levy Court Commissioners; a representative from the County Executive's Office of Sussex County; a State Department of Justice attorney, to be selected by the Delaware A t torney General; and a representative of the Delaware Minority Business Association.

The Chairman of the Task Force shall be selected by its members at the first meeting of the Task Force.

The purpose of the Task Force shall be to: (i) identify which urban areas within the State of Delaware are plagued by the above stated conditions, (ii) study whether current State of Delaware laws, regulations or policies serve as disincentives to business persons from establishing retail, commercial and manufacturing business concerns in those urban areas, (iii) study and identify what other causes or conditions exist in such urban areas which may be contributing to the above identified problem, (iv) suggest modifications to current State of Delaware laws, regulations or policies, or suggest new State laws, regulations or policies, which may help to alleviate the above- stated conditions in such urban areas.

The Task Force shall be provided with staff assistance from the Delaware Develo p ment Office, State Department of Justice, Delaware Department of Labor and Delaware D e partment of Revenue.

The Task Force shall seek a commitment from the University of Delaware to encourage professional staff and graduate student participation in the above study.

The Task Force shall submit a report outlining its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly no later than January 15, 1988.

Section 2. This Act shall be effective upon its enactment into law and shall remain effective until the Task Force submits its report to the Governor and General Assembly, at which time the Act shall terminate and cease to be effective.

Approved June 30, 1986.