Sen. Jack Walsh

This Act updates the law relating to the termination of utility services to a dwelling unit by adopting and expanding state regulations concerning the termination of heating and cooling services. Among other things, this Act does the following: 1. Prohibits a utility company from terminating any services outside the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. 2. Prohibits a utility company from terminating any services from December 21 of each year to January 1 of the following year. 3. Prohibits a utility company from terminating heating services for nonpayment to a dwelling unit when the temperature is at or below 35 degrees Fahrenheit. 4. Prohibits a utility company from terminating cooling services when the Heat Index is equal to or exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. Requires 14 days written notice be given to a dwelling unit prior to termination of services for nonpayment of bills during the heating or cooling season. 6. Requires the utility company to make at least 3 attempts to contact the occupant of a dwelling unit by telephone, text message, or email prior to termination of services for nonpayment during the heating season, including one attempt that must be after 5 p.m. 7. Requires the utility to make at least 1 attempt to contact the occupant of a dwelling unit by telephone, text message, or email prior to termination of services for nonpayment during the cooling season. 8. Requires that the 14 days written notice include information about payment plans, government assistance programs, and other ways termination of services may be deferred. 9. Imposes a civil penalty of up to $1,000 in lieu of a misdemeanor. This Act also expands the scope of utility termination laws to include the termination of utilities run by municipal electric companies. Municipalities that use municipal electric companies will be responsible for adopting ordinances to enforce utility termination laws within the municipality. Among other things, House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill No. 62 differs from House Bill No. 62 by including additional times when shutoff of utilities is prohibited; removing the provision prohibiting shutoffs for occupants receiving certain benefits; and clarifying certain notice requirements.

This Act amends Title 6 by adding "lease-purchase property" to the Delaware Lease-Purchase Agreement Act. Pursuant to the Act, "lease-purchase property" means personal property that is owned by the lessor at the time it is displayed and offered for lease-purchase to the consumer. The Act provides that, for lease-purchase property offered online and available for online sale or sale by e-commerce, a lessor may satisfy the lessor's disclosure obligations under § 7606(c) by electronic disclosure. Similarly, for personal property, other than lease-purchase property, that is offered for lease-purchase by a lessor, the lessor must disclose electronically the cash price of the item and the amount of the lease payment and the total amount of lease payments necessary to acquire ownership. These disclosures must be made before any of the disclosures required by § 7603 of the Delaware Lease-Purchase Agreement Act. Finally, the Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Maddy summarySenate Concurrent Resolution 84 supports the State of Delaware's participation in the Southern Regional Education Board’s Crisis Recovery Support Network. This resolution encourages Delaware to join the network, which aims to provide support for crisis recovery.

Maddy summarySenate Concurrent Resolution 82 recognizes May 2025 as "Older Americans Month" in the State of Delaware. This resolution serves to acknowledge and honor the contributions of older Americans within the state.

Maddy summaryHCR 52 is a resolution that formally recognizes the last Monday of May as Memorial Day.

This Act creates a uniform framework under which a county or municipality may enact an ordinance that exempts Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties from property taxes and instead, require that a LIHTC property make an annual payment in lieu of taxes equal to 5% of the LIHTC’s annual net income as reported to the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA). Under this Act, a LIHTC property that is exempt from property taxes is also exempt from taxation by school districts. Allowing LIHTC properties to make a payment in lieu of taxes, acknowledges the public benefit of the affordable housing provided by LIHTC properties. The Internal Revenue Service LIHTC was created in 1986 by the federal government to encourage a private/public investment to preserve and construct new affordable rental housing. Alone and in combination with tax exempt private activity bonds, the LIHTC has been the most productive source of affordable housing financing in the nation’s history. DSHA receives an annual tax credit amount and awards credits annually through a competitive process. The awards are based on criteria outlined in DSHA’s Qualified Allocation Plan. The equity raised through the tax credit investment makes it possible for developers to attract the financing needed to create or restore low-income rental housing. A LIHTC project must comply with a number of requirements including the timeframe from the award to when the building is placed in service, tenant income restrictions, maximum rent levels, and percentage of low-income occupancy. All buildings financed with the LIHTC are subject to a land use covenant to enforce program compliance for the entirety of the affordability period.

Maddy summarySenate Concurrent Resolution 80 designates May 2025 as "Lyme Disease Awareness Month" in the State of Delaware. This resolution aims to raise public awareness about Lyme disease.

There is a conflict in Delaware law related to determining whether the name of the husband who dies during the period between the creation of the embryo and placement of the embryo should or can be entered on the birth certificate as the father of the child conceived. Because of this conflict, this Act directs the State Registrar of Vital Statistics to immediately amend the birth certificate of the impacted individual, Levi Ryan Murray, to include the name of his father, Ryan Murray, on his birth certificate. This Act is necessary so that this child’s birth certificate can be completed while the General Assembly considers how to resolve this conflict in the law generally. The only difference between Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 119 and SB 119 is that SS 1 for SB 119 corrects a misspelling of “Murray”.

This Concurrent Resolution proclaims May 15, 2025, as "Home Care Advocacy Day" in Delaware to recognize the dedication and hard work of caregivers, to emphasize the critical importance of access to quality home care services for Delaware’s aging residents to live independently and age with dignity, and to advocate for policies and resources that support the delivery of high-quality, person-centered care in the home setting.

This Senate Concurrent Resolution designates the week of May 11-17, 2025, as "Charter Schools Week" in the State of Delaware and commends Delaware's public charter schools for their efforts in educating Delaware students.