This Act prohibits law-enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings that obscure the identity of the individual wearing them in the course of their duties, with exceptions for undercover operations and exigent circumstances. This Act ensures that law enforcement officers in Delaware cannot wear masks or facial coverings that hide their identity when they are carrying out their official duties. Our community deserves to know who is enforcing the law, and clear identification is essential to building trust between residents and law enforcement. When law enforcement officers are acting in public and exercising authority, people should be able to see their faces. This improves accountability, strengthens public confidence, and makes Delaware safer for everyone. The bill defines “facial covering” to include items like balaclavas, ski masks, or tactical masks that obscure the face. It does not ban protective equipment such as medical masks, respirators, or breathing devices that officers need for health and safety, nor does it interfere with undercover operations that require anonymity. It also specifically exempts undercover operations that occur during the course of a criminal investigation or for SWAT teams that are specially trained police units used in high-risk situations that go beyond the capacity of regular patrol officers. This Act serves to empower Delaware law enforcement officers to intervene and verify the identity of any person claiming or otherwise acting as law enforcement while wearing a facial covering, but nothing in this Act diminishes the discretion of law enforcement officers to determine whether it is appropriate to stop or charge any person.
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This Act requires every law enforcement agency in Delaware to adopt and publicly post a written policy requiring officers to display identification while performing enforcement duties. Identification must include the officer’s agency and a name, a badge number, or both. This Act also recognizes that there are circumstances where identification cannot or should not be displayed. It creates exceptions for: • Officers engaged in active undercover operations. • Officers wearing personal protective equipment (such as gas masks or respirators) that prevents identification from being visible. • Exigent circumstances, including imminent threats to people or property, an escape in progress, or the destruction of evidence. • Cases where there is a specific and articulable threat to the physical safety of the officer if identification is displayed. To ensure accountability, this Act makes failure to display identification a violation. Repeated violations may result in an unclassified misdemeanor, underscoring the seriousness of the requirement. This Act serves to empower Delaware law enforcement officers to intervene and verify the identity of any person claiming or otherwise acting as law enforcement but who fails to display clear identification, but nothing in this Act diminishes the discretion of law enforcement officers to determine whether it is appropriate to stop or charge any person. This Act also strikes a balance by giving the public confidence that law enforcement officers can be identified and held accountable while also preserving officer safety and operational effectiveness.
According to the Arts Education Partnership, 27 states currently include arts course credits as a requirement for high school graduation, and several states have implemented diploma seals or similar recognition programs to incentivize participation. This Act directs the Department of Education to establish the Delaware Certificate of Arts Excellence to recognize high school students who demonstrate sustained engagement and achievement in the arts. Establishing a similar program in Delaware could help increase arts enrollment, elevate the value of arts education, and support students interested in pursuing creative professions.
This Act requires that an electric supplier’s interconnection rules, for purposes of net-metering, align with the most recent version of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s Model Interconnection Procedures (Procedures) within 12 months of the Procedures’ latest publishing date.
This Act doubles the childcare and dependent care expense tax credit for resident households with federal adjusted gross income of less than $60,000 and makes that credit refundable, and differs from HS 1 by clarifying the credit is for residents only (as is the case currently), and corrects the means test of federal adjusted gross income threshold for taxpayers filing "joint" and "married filing separate combined" at $60,000. For all others, the tax credit remains unchanged.
Maddy summaryHouse Bill 151 prohibits the operation of private detention facilities in the State of Delaware. This means that all detention facilities in the state must be publicly owned and operated, directly affecting any private entities currently operating or planning to operate such facilities.
Maddy summaryHCR 134 is a resolution that officially designates the last Monday of May as Memorial Day. This measure directly affects state government records and public observances by establishing a formal date for honoring military personnel who died in service. The bill was passed by both the House and Senate without requiring a formal vote count. Once enacted, it serves as a commemorative recognition rather than changing laws or regulations.
This concurrent resolution designates May 2026 as "Lupus Awareness Month" in the State of Delaware and encourages expanded efforts to keep Delaware residents properly informed about Lupus symptom recognition and treatment.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution designates May 10-16, 2026, as "Charter Schools Week" in the State of Delaware and commends Delaware's public charter schools for their efforts in educating Delaware students.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution commends the Food Bank of Delaware for its contributions toward ending hunger and addressing the root causes of poverty in the State of Delaware through its growing statewide impact.