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HB 350 Delaware House · 150th General Assembly (2019-2020)

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CHOKEHOLDS.

Summary
This Act creates the crime of Aggravated Strangulation. A person is guilty of Aggravated Strangulation if the person is a law-enforcement officer, and while acting within the person’s official capacity as a law-enforcement officer, knowingly or intentionally uses a chokehold on another person. Under this Act, a chokehold is only justifiable when the person reasonably believes deadly force is warranted in order to protect the life of a civilian or law-enforcement officer. Aggravated Strangulation is a Class D felony unless the law-enforcement officer using a chokehold causes serious physical injury or death to another person thereby elevating the crime to a Class C felony. This Act also makes clear that if a person is charged under this section, such a charge shall not preclude or limit the State or any other prosecuting agency from bringing other criminal charges against the person.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jun 2020
Committee Review
Jun 2020
House Passage
Jun 2020
Senate Passage
Jun 2020
Signed into Law
Aug 2020
Introduced Jun 17, 2020 Signed Aug 13, 2020
Floor votes · House Jun 25, 2020

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
4
Committee
1
Amendments
3
Aug 13, 2020
Signed into law
Signed by Governor
executive
Jun 25, 2020
Upper · Passed
Passed By Senate. Votes: 16 YES 5 NO
upper
Jun 25, 2020
Amended
Amendment SA 1 to HB 350 - Defeated By Senate. Votes: 6 YES 15 NO
upper
Jun 25, 2020
Lower · Passed
Passed By House. Votes: 41 YES
lower
Jun 24, 2020
Introduced
Amendment SA 1 to HB 350 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
lower
Jun 22, 2020
Lower · Passed
Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 2 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits
lower
Jun 18, 2020
Introduced
Amendment HA 1 to HB 350 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
lower
Jun 17, 2020
Introduced
Introduced and Assigned to Administration Committee in House
lower
8 primary · 28 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Darius Brown
Darius Brown
DDemocratic
DE
2
P
Photo of Frank Cooke
Frank Cooke
DDemocratic
DE
16
P
Photo of Kendra Johnson
Kendra Johnson
DDemocratic
DE
5
P
Photo of Melissa Minor-Brown
Melissa Minor-Brown
DDemocratic
DE
17
P
Photo of Nnamdi Chukwuocha
Nnamdi Chukwuocha
DDemocratic
DE
1
P
Photo of Sherry Dorsey Walker
Sherry Dorsey Walker
DDemocratic
DE
3
P
Photo of Stephanie Bolden
Stephanie Bolden
DDemocratic
DE
2
P
Photo of Tizzy Lockman
Tizzy Lockman
DDemocratic
DE
3
Co
AL
Andria L. Bennett
DDemocratic
DE
32
Co
Photo of Bill Bush
Bill Bush
DDemocratic
DE
29
Co
Photo of Bill Carson
Bill Carson
DDemocratic
DE
28
Co
BC
Bruce C. Ennis
DDemocratic
DE
14
Co
Photo of Bryan Townsend
Bryan Townsend
DDemocratic
DE
11
Co
CC
Catherine Cloutier
RRepublican
DE
5
Co
Photo of Dave Sokola
Dave Sokola
DDemocratic
DE
8
Co
DB
David B. McBride
DDemocratic
DE
13
Co
DB
David Bentz
DDemocratic
DE
18
Co
Photo of Debra Heffernan
Debra Heffernan
DDemocratic
DE
6