Sen. Gregory F. Lavelle

This Act increases the eligibility for a child with a disability to be eligible for free appropriate public education from the end of the school year in which the child attains the age of 21 to the end of the school year in which the child attains the age of 22. This Act also makes a technical correction to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Bill amends the Board composition to provide that a slot may be filled by an audiologist or by a hearing aid dispenser which shall address the challenge in locating a hearing aid dispenser to serve on the Board. Further, this Bill adds a definition for the “practice of hearing aid dispensing” to set forth the appropriate scope of practice for hearing aid dispensers, based on their training and qualifications, in the interest of public protection. This Bill also strikes references to audiology and speech pathology aides because the Board does not license or regulate these professions. The requirements for licensure and license renewal, for speech/language pathologists and audiologists, have been amended in the interests of clarity. Upon application, a speech/language pathologist must submit proof of current certification from the American Speech and Hearing Association (“ASHA”) and audiologists must submit proof of either current ASHA certification or board certification from the American Board of Audiology. Reciprocity applicants for speech/language pathology and audiology must meet this same requirement. Also, at the time of the first renewal only, speech/language pathologists and audiologists must show the appropriate current certification. Finally, references to “excessive use or abuse of drugs” have been amended to be consistent with the definition of this term.

This resolution designates April 6, 2018 as “National Tartan Day” and commemorates the outstanding achievements and contributions made by Scottish-Americans to the United States. When the United States was first formed and the thirteen states selected their first governors, nine were of Scottish ancestry. All the members of the first American cabinet had Scottish ancestry. Delaware’s first governor, John McKinly, was born in Northern Ireland of Scottish descent. Americans of Scottish descent have played a vibrant and influential role in the development of this country. However, not until 1997 was this influence recognized by a single-year U.S. Senate Resolution that appeared in the Congressional Record of April 7, 1997. In 1998 National Tartan Day was officially recognized on a permanent basis when the U.S. Senate passed Senate Resolution 155 recognizing April 6th as National Tartan Day. This was followed by companion bill House Resolution 41, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 9, 2005. President George W. Bush signed a Presidential Proclamation on April 4, 2008 making April 6 National Tartan Day. In April of 2008, then Governor Minner issued a statement celebrating the accomplishments of Scots-Irish Americans in the First State as part of a Scots/Scots-Irish Heritage Month. April 6 commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, which asserted Scotland's sovereignty over English territorial claims, and which was a significant influence on the American Declaration of Independence. Canada has been celebrating "National Tartan Day" since 1993. The idea and motivation for creating a similar American holiday was provided by the Scottish Coalition, a group of national Scottish- American cultural organizations.

This Resolution recognizes April 2018 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in Delaware.

This Act raises the first offense of purchasing or obtaining a firearm for someone not legally qualified to own, possess or purchase one from a Class F to a Class E Felony. This change is to deter such "straw purchases" by making jail time more likely for the offender, and consequently, to reduce the number of people who cannot legally possess firearms but obtain them in this manner.

This Act prohibits a flagger from using headphones or electronic communication devices while engaged in traffic control in a work zone. This Act permits a flagger to use an electronic communication device approved by the Department of Transportation. This Act makes a violation of this prohibition a civil traffic offense that is not entered on an individual’s motor vehicle record.

This concurrent resolution proclaims the month of April, as “Nonprofit Impact Month” to affirm the importance of organizations in the nonprofit sector and the impact of their work for every citizen in our State, to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year, and to acknowledge our ongoing responsibility to support a robust social impact sector for citizens, communities, and economic development across the State.

This resolution adds a new Rule 30 to the Senate Rules relating to Anti-Harassment Policy and Training.

This Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment that requires the General Assembly to wait 48 hours from the introduction of the budget appropriation bill, bond and capital improvement act, and act making appropriations for certain grants-in-aid bill, or any substantive amendment or substitute bill to such bills before voting on such legislation unless the General Assembly by a three-fourths vote waives this requirement. The purpose of this provision is to allow all interested persons, including legislators, a reasonable amount of time to review the three significant financial legislative acts before voting on such legislation. This restriction can be waived if three-fourths of each House of the General Assembly agrees to act in a shorter time period.