Sen. Russ Huxtable

This Senate Concurrent Resolution recognizes the valuable contributions that the Lions Clubs International makes to our local communities, as well as the world at-large, by designating June 12, 2024, as "Delaware State Lions Day" in the State of Delaware.

This Senate concurrent resolution honors Wilmington attorney, historian and author Harvey Bernard Rubenstein on his 50 years of service as a member of the Delaware Heritage Commission, on the occasion of his being elevated by the Commission to emeritus status and thanks him for his years of service to our state as a truly public-spirited citizen.

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution designates Wednesday, June 12, 2024, as Women Veterans Day throughout the State of Delaware. The measure directly affects the state's official calendar and serves to acknowledge the historical contributions and sacrifices of women who have served in the U.S. military. By passing this concurrent resolution, the Delaware General Assembly formally recognizes the service of over 7,000 women veterans residing in the state. The text highlights key milestones in women's military service, such as the 1948 law that allowed women to serve as permanent regular members of the armed forces. This action is a commemorative gesture rather than a change to laws or government operations.

This Act requires the Department of Health and Social Services, in consultation with persons interested in the sale and pricing of prescription drugs as well as interested federal and state officials and agencies, to design and implement a wholesale prescription drug importation program for the benefit of, and that generates savings for, Delaware residents. The Act establishes requirements for the program including all of the following: (1) The Department must become or contract with a state wholesaler and seek federal certification and approval to import eligible prescription drugs. (2) The program must comply with federal regulations and import from Canadian suppliers only those eligible prescription drugs that do not violate patent laws, that are not controlled substances, and for which importation creates substantial cost savings. (3) The Department must ensure that eligible prescription drugs imported under the program are not distributed, dispensed, or sold outside of Delaware. (4) Before submitting the proposed program to the federal government for certification, the Department must submit the proposal to the General Assembly. (5) The program must have an audit procedure to ensure compliance with the Act’s requirements and requires submission of an annual report to the General Assembly to track the program’s progress.

This House Concurrent Resolution reaffirms Delaware's commitment to strengthen the longstanding partnership with Taiwan, supports Taiwan’s efforts to secure the signing of a Bilateral Trade Agreement and an Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement with the United States; commends Taiwan’s vibrant full-fledged democracy; supports the reopening of a Delaware Trade Office in Taiwan; and continues to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation and contributions in international organizations.

This Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment to eliminate the limitations on when an individual may vote absentee and authorizes the General Assembly to enact general laws providing the circumstances, rules, and procedures for absentee voting in this State. This Act is in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Albence v. Higgins, 2022 Del. LEXIS 377 (Del. 2022). This Act requires all absentee ballots to include an oath or affirmation that the qualified voter’s vote is free from improper influence. This oath or affirmation is in lieu of the oath or affirmation required under Section 3 of Article V of the Delaware Constitution. Amending the Delaware Constitution requires not only the passing of the changes in this Act, but also passage of the same changes after the next general election by the next General Assembly. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend the Delaware Constitution.

This resolution designates June 12, 2024, as “Loving Day” in the State of Delaware and reaffirms a commitment to the principles of equality, freedom, and justice for all. “Loving Day” contributes to building a society that values and respects the fundamental human rights of all individuals, regardless of their race or ethnicity.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the week of October 21-27, 2024, as "Free Speech Week" in Delaware to honor the First Amendment and promote awareness of free speech rights. It is a commemorative resolution that does not change laws or create new regulations but instead formally recognizes a national observance focused on the importance of free expression. The measure affects the state by encouraging public and private groups to hold events and discussions about free speech during the designated week.

This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 4, replacing Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 4. and Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 4. Like Senate Bill No. 4, Senate Substitute No. 1, and Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 4, this Act modernizes Delaware’s probation system, including by directing the courts, the Board of Parole, and the Bureau of Community Corrections to use the least restrictive probation and parole conditions and the most minimally intrusive reporting requirements necessary to achieve the goals of community supervision. This Act differs from Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 4 by doing all of the following: (1) Continuing the process of updating the Delaware Code to use people-first language to refer to an individual on probation or otherwise involved in the criminal justice system. (2) Removing the prohibition on imposing a sentence of incarceration for a technical violation and the special sentencing matrix for certain technical violations. As a result, the definitions for “non-technical violation” and “technical violation” are also removed. (3) Removing the requirement that periods of incarceration imposed when probation violations are found for multiple offenses be served concurrently. (4) Removing the requirement that for a court, Board of Parole, or probation and parole officer to impose a condition that an individual on probation not possess or use alcohol or controlled substances there must be a reasonable relationship to the criminogenic needs of the individual. (5) Removing the prohibition on a probation and parole officer from pursuing sanctions for nonwilful violations of probation, which include the following: a. An individual on probation’s failure to complete a program when the program refuses to provide services, the program is cost prohibitive, or access to the program is restricted beyond the control of the individual on probation. b. An individual on probation’s failure to follow supervision conditions when the individual on probation’s medical conditions or disability prevent compliance. c. An individual on probation’s failure to report based on factors beyond the individual on probation’s control. (6) Removing the prohibition on a court finding a probation violation occurred based on criminal conduct that the court acquitted the individual on probation of or dismissed the underlying criminal charge for. (7) Removing the repeal of a provision that permits the Department of Correction to deny earned compliance credits to an individual on probation for other categories of offenses that the Department establishes by rules and regulations. The Department is statutorily permitted to deny credits for individuals on probation for a sexual offense, a violent felony, and any offense in the Delaware Code if the probation is imposed to collect restitution at Accountability Level I. (8) Removing the requirement that there be a finding that the individual on probation poses a substantial risk of injury to others or of intentionally failing to appear for a revocation hearing before a court could issue an arrest warrant or the Department could deputize officers to make an arrest. (9) Making clear that outstanding balances owed on the home confinement fee imposed under § 4332(b) of Title 11, which is repealed by this Act, are discharged. (10) Clarifying that the requirement that a court, Board of Parole, or probation and parole officer presumptively impose the least number of conditions, and least restrictive conditions of supervision, possible to achieve the goals of supervision applies only to special conditions of probation. (11) Not including any changes to § 4334 of Title 11 (relating to arrests for violation of conditions of supervision and disposition of those violations) in this Act. (12) Providing for a delay in the effect of this Act. This Act takes effect 180 days after its enactment into law. This Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Act updates the Grace Firestone Act to strengthen regulations for member schools regarding sudden cardiac arrest. The Act requires member schools to develop an athletic emergency action plan and have an automated external defibrillator (“AED”) less than 3 minutes from any venue where practices and competitions are held. It further requires all coaches, physical education teachers, referees, health teachers and at least one staff member delivering student behavioral health services or at least one school administrator per school to be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and trained in the use of an automated external defibrillator. The Act requires regular maintenance checks of AED equipment to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for routine checks. The Act mandates all member schools to establish a cardiac emergency response plan and provide Stop the Bleed training to staff once every year. The Act requires the Department of Education and the Office of Emergency Medical Services to develop a survey that member schools must complete every two years to ensure compliance with these regulations.