SPONSOR:

Rep. Mitchell & Sen. Poore & Sen. Hansen

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

150th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 345

AN ACT EXTENDING CERTAIN LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCES AND COMMITTEES.

WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020, in response to growing concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate (“President Pro Tempore”) and the Speaker of the House of Representatives (“Speaker”) took joint action to close Legislative Hall to the public and postpone legislative session until March 24, 2020, to ensure the safety of legislators, staff, and the public; and

WHEREAS, also on March 12, 2020, Governor John C. Carney issued a state of emergency due to the public health threat posed by COVID-19 and has subsequently issued modifications of the state of emergency as the public health threat has continued; and

WHEREAS, on March 18, 2020, with the public health threat caused by COVID-19 worsening, the President Pro Tempore and the Speaker jointly decided to close Legislative Hall to the public and postpone legislative session until further notice; and

WHEREAS, due to the public health emergency several legislative task forces have not been able to fulfill the reporting requirements of the task force’s enabling legislation and need additional time to complete the necessary work to prepare a report.

NOW, THEREFORE:

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

Section 1. The existence of the following legislative task forces, and the date by which the findings and recommendations reports are due, is extended as follows:

(1) The Pharmacy Reimbursement Task Force, created by House Concurrent Resolution No. 57 and previously extended by House Concurrent Resolution No. 66, to August 31, 2020.

(2) The Local Service Functions Task Force, created by House Concurrent Resolution No. 54 and previously extended by House Concurrent Resolution No. 62, to March 31, 2021.

(3) The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services Task Force, created by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 62, to June 1, 2021.

(4) The Non-Acute Patient Medical Guardianship Task Force, created by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 30, to June 1, 2021.

(5) The task force created to study volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention, created by House Concurrent Resolution No. 50 and previously extended by House Concurrent Resolution No. 63, to January 1, 2022.

(6) The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, created by House Concurrent Resolution No. 77, to January 1, 2022.

Section 2. The existence of, and date of the progress report from, the Department of Health and Social Services Reorganization Committee, created by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 65, is extended to June 1, 2021.

SYNOPSIS

Due to the public health emergency caused by COVID-19, several legislative task forces and committees have not been able to fulfill the reporting requirements of the task force’s or committee’s enabling legislation and need additional time to complete the necessary work to prepare a report.

This Act extends the following legislative task forces and committees:

(1) The Pharmacy Reimbursement Task Force.

(2) The Local Service Functions Task Force.

(3) The Division of Developmental Disabilities Services Task Force.

(4) The Department of Health and Social Services Reorganization Committee.

(5) The Non-Acute Patient Medical Guardianship Task Force.

(6) The task force created to study volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention.

(7) The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.