Rep. Ron Gray

This Act increases for the crime of criminal mischief to a class F felony when the person intentionally causes damage to an authorized emergency vehicle resulting in a pecuniary loss of $5,000 or more or in the authorized emergency vehicle becoming temporarily unable to be used to respond to an emergency. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Concurrent Resolution directs Delmarva Power & Light Company to reconsider the non-mandatory investments identified in its draft Infrastructure, Safety, and Reliability Plan for 2026–2028 and to reduce the forecasted 2027 non-mandatory budget by approximately 20% and the forecasted 2028 non-mandatory budget by approximately 25%. This Concurrent Resolution further calls on Delmarva Power to voluntarily adjust its interim rate implementation and to present a rate deferral mechanism to Public Service Commission Staff and the Public Advocate for discussion.

This Act codifies the Delaware Farm and Food Council’s Farm to Community Program as a state-led initiative called the Delaware Farm to Community Program. The Farm to Community Program launched in 2023 under the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA). In 2 ½ growing seasons, the Farm to Community Program has effectively expanded the purchasing power of community outlets to procure local food products from local farmers and distribute the food products to individuals in need or facing food insecurity in Delaware’s urban and rural communities. Through this model, currently, 31 local farmers supply more than 100 varieties of fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products to 9 community outlets that serve 105 food distribution sites. The USDA canceled LFPA funding in 2025. Codifying the Farm to Community Program ensures continuity, strengthens Delaware’s food system infrastructure, increases availability of fresh and healthy seasonal foods, and increases the economic viability of local farmers, particularly small and medium-scale farmers.

This Act streamlines DNREC’s subaqueous lands permitting process by adding permitting exemptions for common activities already authorized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, expanding the use of general permits to provide statewide authorization for certain activities instead of individual permits, clarifying when some decisions may be delegated from the Secretary to Department staff, imposing specific processing timelines for minor structures and standardizing applications to reduce processing delays. It also creates the Marine Contractors and Consultants Licensing Board, to assist DNREC in licensing and regulation of individuals and entities that affect submerged lands or tidelands.

This Act changes the date by which a person who wishes to be nominated for Town Council in the Town of Ocean View must file their Certification of Intent and $50 filing fee with the Board of Elections from at least 30 days prior to the election to at least 45 days prior to the election.

This Act amends Chapter 28 of Title 24 of the Delaware Code to make corrections to definition of Successor Engineer (§2803); Allow candidates intending to apply using experience track (§2817(5)) to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Principles and Practice of Engineering (P&PE) exams prior to obtaining 15 years of verified and approved experience. Remove restrictions on candidates taking the FE exam. According to NCEES, 75% of member boards do not have any restrictions on the FE exam. Candidates that do not meet our current requirements for FE exam approval can take the exam in another jurisdiction, then apply to Delaware when they have met all other requirements (§2817).

This Act changes the term “child pornography” to “child sexual abuse material”. There has been a growing national movement to ensure the correct terminology is used when identifying victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Child sexual abuse material is the correct and widely accepted terminology for pornographic material depicting a child. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, child sexual abuse material is the preferred term because “it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child.” In 2016, an international working group, comprising a collection of countries and international organizations working to combat child exploitation, formally recognized ‘child sexual abuse material’ as the preferred term. This proposed change is supported by the Office of the Child Advocate, Delaware State Police, and the Department of Justice, as well as national organizations like the National Center Against Sexual Exploitation.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates November 2026 as "Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month" throughout the State of Delaware. It serves as a commemorative resolution intended to highlight the importance of raising public awareness about autoimmune conditions during that specific month. The measure does not alter any laws, allocate funding, or create new programs, but rather formally acknowledges the issue within the state's calendar.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates October 28, 2026, as "National First Responders Day" within the State of Delaware. It directly affects first responders by officially recognizing their role through a state proclamation. The key mechanism is a formal declaration passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This action serves as a commemorative resolution rather than establishing new laws or funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates July 2026 as "American Patriotism Month" throughout the State of Delaware. It does not create new laws or change government operations but serves as a formal recognition of patriotism during that specific month. The resolution was passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives without requiring a vote on the final measure.