Transportation (Vehicle Registration)

This Act amends Title 14 to provide the Department of Education the authority to adopt rules and regulations regarding the transportation of public school students.

This Act codifies the Delaware State Police program that makes available a “blue envelope” for use by a person with a disability. The intent of this program is to increase safety for both officers and persons with a disability during a traffic stop. The envelope contains written information for officers regarding interacting with a person with a disability, as well as guidance for the person with a disability on safe interactions with law-enforcement during a traffic stop. The envelope is sized to be able to contain a driver’s license, motor vehicle registration card, and insurance identification card and other related documents.

This Act makes it unlawful to possess, operate any motor vehicle with, purchase, install, manufacture, sell, offer to sell, or otherwise distribute a number plate flipping device. A “number plate flipping device” means a manual, electric, or mechanical device designed or adapted to be installed on a motor vehicle that does either of the following: a. Switch between two or more number plates for the purpose of allowing a motor vehicle operator to change the number plate displayed on the operator's vehicle; or b. Hide a number plate from view by turning the number plate so that the number plate registration number is not visible. The penalty for violation of this statute is for the first offense, a fine not less than $50 nor more than $200, imprisonment not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days, or both. For each subsequent like offense, such person shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $300, be imprisoned not less than 90 days nor more than 6 months, or both. The Act also makes technical changes to existing code language to conform to the Legislative Drafting Manual. A reference to farm vehicles being exempt from registration is removed, because that exemption was removed from the Code in 2014. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 28 of Article IV of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to create a new crime within the jurisdiction of the Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, or Justice of the Peace Court.

This Act prohibits the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control from promulgating rules and regulations restricting the sale of fuel-powered cars, trucks, and SUVs in Delaware. This Act does not change the emission standards fuel-powered vehicles must currently meet. The provisions of this bill would be retroactive to March 1, 2023.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution requires the Delaware Department of Transportation, the Division of Motor Vehicles, the Delaware Department of Justice, the Delaware State Police, and other law enforcement agencies to collaborate with state transportation departments, law enforcement agencies, and other interested stakeholders in neighboring states and across the region to develop a strategy to address the growing issue of counterfeit Delaware license plates, and protect Delaware drivers from the fraudulent use of their vehicle registrations. The Resolution also requires the Department of Transportation and the Division of Motor Vehicles to submit a final report to the General Assembly, the Governor, the Director and Librarian of the Division of Legislative Services, and the Delaware Public Archives, no later than June 30, 2026, detailing their actions, partnerships, findings, and any recommendations for legislation or resource needs to improve enforcement, data sharing, victim support, and other relevant matters.

The Department of Transportation commissioned a study which was performed by the University of Delaware which calculated the impact on the Transportation Trust Fund by the increase in registration of electric motor vehicles, plug-in electric motor vehicles, non-plug-in electric motor vehicles, and other fuel motor vehicles. The Transportation Trust fund is the source of funding for the Department to perform all road and bridge improvements in the State. This Act assesses an additional registration fee on owners of electric motor vehicles, plug-in electric motor vehicles, non-plug-in electric motor vehicles, and other fuel motor vehicles to make up for the declining motor fuel tax revenue impacts on the Department, as well as the increased costs associated with these types of vehicles which are generally heavier than traditional passenger motor vehicles with increasing roadway impacts. This Act further increases several revenue sources in the following ways: 1) Assesses a one-time set up fee to a nonprofit organization to create a special license plate. 2) Increases the fee for issuance and renewal of a driver’s license from $40 to $50. 3) Increases the fee for a sex offender registration license replacement from $5 to $10. 4) Increases the issuance and renewal of a commercial driver’s license from $48 to $55. 5) Increases the fee for renewal of a non-commercial driver’s license Class A or B from $40 to $50. 6) Increases the fee for adding an endorsement to a commercial driver’s license from $5 to $10. A $10 fee for removing a restriction on a commercial driver’s license is now charged. 7) Increases the fee for taxicab endorsement and renewal from $3.45 to $10. 8) Makes the fee for a duplicate identification card for a lost or destroyed identification card set at $20. 9) Makes the fee for a replacement identification card due to name change $10. 10) Increases the fee for a dealership license from $100 and $50 for renewal. 11) Increases the document from 4.25 % to 5.25%. The effective date for these increases is generally October 1, 2025 to allow time for computer reprogramming and effective implementation. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act prohibits any autonomous vehicle that requires a Class A commercial driver license without an O restriction from being operated on a Delaware highway for testing purposes, transporting goods, or transporting passengers without a human safety operator being physically present within the autonomous vehicle. A two-thirds vote requirement is required under Section 28 of Article IV of the Delaware Constitution.

This Act requires the Department of Transportation to install and operate a traffic light signal violation monitoring system at an intersection within 60 days of a request for it by a member of the General Assembly.

HB 114 amends Delaware's traffic code to permit the limited use of low-speed motorized scooters on public roads and bike paths. It directly affects scooter riders by establishing new rules for operation, including speed limits and safety requirements. The bill explicitly bans high-speed scooters from being used on public roads, maintaining current restrictions. This change updates Title 21 of the Delaware Code to formally recognize low-speed scooters as legal vehicles under defined conditions.