This Act updates Chapter 57 of Title 15 to reflect modern voting procedures. These updates are necessary because Chapter 57 of Title 15 provides the requirements under which the Superior Court (Court) performs its duties under § 6 of Article V of the Delaware Constitution to certify the results of each general election. As such, the requirements under this Chapter need to align with all of the current ballots and methods by which votes are cast to ensure that the results of general elections are properly certified and not subject to challenge. Specifically, this Act does all of the following: • Aligns terms and definitions with current law and the updates that will be enacted under Senate Bill No. 266 (153rd General Assembly). • Adds early voting ballots and provisional ballots to the materials that the Department of Elections must provide to the Court. • Explains that the Court certifies the results of the election by tabulating the votes cast. • Consolidates the requirements for the contents of certificates of elections and the delivery of those certificates to provide clarity and repeal contradictory and unnecessary provisions. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
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Currently, window tint or other material placed on the front side windows of a motor vehicle must have a visible light transmission of 70% or greater unless the vehicle’s owner has a statement signed by a licensed practitioner of medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine or optometry verifying that tinted windows are medically necessary. Currently, there is not a visible light transmission requirement for the side windows behind the driver or the rear window. This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 255. Like Senate Bill No. 255, this Act does all of the following: (1) Changes the visible light transmission requirement for window tint or other material placed on the front side windows. (2) Clarifies that there is not a visible light transmission requirement for the side windows behind the driver or the rear window. (3) Clarifies the exception for vehicles operated by a law-enforcement officer by exempting these vehicles from this law. This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 255 by changing the visible requirement for window tint or other material placed on the front side windows, and side wings, from 35% or great to 50% or greater.
Of the 41 states with a state income tax, 27 states fully exempt military retirement pay from state income taxes and 12 states partially exempt military retirement pay. In 2022, Delaware increased the pension exclusion for military pensioners under 60 to $12,500, and in 2024, Delaware expanded the definition of a United States military pension to include a pension received for an individual’s service in the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and clarified that the armed forces of the United States includes the Space Force and Coast Guard. This Act phases in, over 3 years, an increased exemption for military pensions from state income taxation, regardless of age, which is currently $12,500, so that in taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2029, the exemption will be $25,000 for all military pensioners.
This Senate Joint Resolution directs the Delaware Department of Education to reevaluate the use of the SAT within Delaware’s accountability system while continuing to offer the SAT during the school day for students who wish to take it. The Resolution further directs the Department to engage educators statewide in developing a modernized accountability framework, explore additional measures permitted under federal law, recognize career readiness indicators such as industry credentials, dual enrollment, and work-based learning, and clarify that proficiency results are one indicator of postsecondary readiness rather than a sole measure of school quality. The Department will explore and develop a coherent high school assessment system, including a standards-aligned high school summative assessment and learning progress assessments, designed to provide timely, instructionally useful data while maintaining full compliance with federal accountability requirements.
This Act imposes a moratorium, through January 31, 2027, on all applications and permits related to the development of large-scale data centers in this State. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article IX of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend a municipal charter, whether directly, by amendment to a specific municipality’s charter, or as in this Act, indirectly by a general law.
This Act makes it a crime for any person to either cross a marked barrier established by a first responder, or, after receiving a warning not to approach from a first responder who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to violate the warning and approach or remain within 25 feet of the first responder, with the intent to do any of the following: (1) Impede or interfere with the first responder’s ability to perform the first responder’s legal duty. (2) Threaten the first responder with physical injury, serious physical injury, or death. For purposes of this Act, a first responder means a law-enforcement officer, volunteer or paid firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, or fire police officer.
Maddy summaryThis bill designates the week of October 19-25, 2026, as "Free Speech Week" throughout the State of Delaware. It serves as a commemorative resolution intended to highlight the importance of free expression during that specific time period. The measure does not create new laws or alter existing regulations but rather establishes an official state observance.
Maddy summaryThis bill designates October 6, 2026, as "National Coaches Day" within the state of Delaware. It serves as a commemorative resolution that officially recognizes the contributions of coaches but does not create new laws or alter existing policies. The measure affects only the state's official calendar and does not provide funding or mandate specific actions for schools or organizations.
Maddy summaryThis bill designates June 17, 2026, as "Day of Service" throughout the State of Delaware. It serves as a formal proclamation to encourage citizens to participate in community service activities on that specific date. The measure does not create new laws or alter existing regulations but rather establishes an official state recognition for the day.
In Delaware, there are 44 event venues that host events like weddings and receptions. To host events where alcohol is served, event venues must have a bottle club license. Under § 101 of Title 4, a bottle club is defined as a business where customers “enter on the premises for the purpose of consuming alcoholic liquors” brought by the customers. This definition can make the pathway for licensure unclear for event venues with customers that enter on the premises for the purpose of hosting and attending private events that sometimes include alcohol. Only 8 of the event venues in Delaware have a bottle club license. Adding a license that allows venues to host events with alcohol would reduce regulatory confusion by creating a clear pathway for event venues to apply for licensure. Also, event venues or the venues’ customers often hire caterers to provide food and alcohol to event guests, but Delaware grants licenses to purchase and resell alcohol only to caterers with at least 60% of their gross receipts resulting from the sale of food. In practice, this requirement limits flexibility, raises costs, and complicates event planning. So long as a reasonable selection of food is available, allowing the Commissioner to grant a license to caterers to serve alcohol at private, invitation-only events without the requirement to serve food would provide more flexibility for event planners and event venues, help with collaboration, and saves on costs. Adding a private event license and granting caterer licenses to provide alcohol at private events without requiring the caterer to also provide food would help eliminate gray areas in licensing and bring more events under the legal oversight of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner (“Commissioner”). These licensing changes would encourage economic activity in Delaware’s small business, event, and hospitality sections while ensuring public safety and maintaining accountability. This Act adds a private event license under § 512I of Title 4 to replace the current bottle club license for private social gatherings under § 515A(c)(2) of Title 4. Bottle club licenses granted under § 515A(c)(2) of Title 4 prior to the Act’s enactment may be retained and transferred, as allowed by the Commissioner. A “private event venue” means an establishment operated for profit or pecuniary gain used for private events. A “private event” means an invitation-only event with up to 1,000 guests, like weddings, dinners, benefits, and banquets. The private event license allows the person in charge of a private event or the owner, lessor, or person in charge of a private event venue to hold a private event at which alcoholic liquors are provided for consumption on the licensed premises. The alcoholic liquors may be provided by an off-site caterer licensed under § 512(g) of Title 4 or the customer, the customer’s invited guests, or both. The private event license does not allow a licensee to receive, keep, or sell alcoholic liquors. A private event licensee is also subject to limitations on the hours when alcohol may be sold or consumed on the premises and how long alcohol may be on the premises before and after a private event. Also, private event licensees have certain requirements, including maintaining liability insurance; making sure that if a licensed off-site caterer is hired, only that licensed off-site caterer provides alcohol; not providing alcohol to an individual under the age of 21 years; and making sure that there is an adequate selection of food, as determined by the Commissioner, at each private event. There are 2 types of private event licenses. A person may apply for a single event license that is valid only for the date and location specified in the application or a biennial premises license valid for any private event held on the licensed premises within a 2-year period. The fee for a single event license is $50 and the fee for a biennial premises license is $1,000. A private event licensee holding a biennial premises license must report each private event to the Commissioner at least 10 business days before the private event. The report must include the private event’s time and date, the number of guests invited, if the alcohol will be provided by an off-site caterer or the customer, and any other information required by the Commissioner. This Act also allows the Commissioner to grant licenses to caterers and off-site caterers under § 512(g) of Title 4, without the requirement to sell food, only if caterers or off-site caterers provide alcohol at a private event held on licensed premises. At each private event, an adequate selection of food, as determined by the Commissioner, must be available while alcoholic liquors are sold, served, or consumed. The food may be provided by another person, including a private event licensee, another caterer, another off-site caterer, or the customer. If the caterer or off-site caterer is hired to provide alcoholic liquors at a private event, all alcoholic liquors sold, served, or consumed must be provided by that caterer or off-site caterer. And the caterer or off-site caterer must report each private event, as required by the Commissioner. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. This Act takes effect on enactment and is to be implemented the earlier of the following: 1. Six months from the date of the Act’s enactment. 2. Notice by the Commissioner in the Register of Regulations that final regulations to implement this Act have been adopted. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 11 of Article VIII of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of three-fifths of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to impose or levy a tax or license fee.