| 6/15/2021 |
SB 155
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. This Act revises the Delaware Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to address how public bodies may respond to FOIA requests that are unreasonable, disruptive, or abusive; requires all public bodies to post notice of meetings electronically; and clarifies and simplifies how a citizen may challenge a public body’s failure to comply with FOIA requirements. This Act does not change the definition of “public record."
Specifically, this Act does all of the following:
1. It amends the examination and copying of public records provisions of FOIA to alleviate the significant time, resources, and financial burdens imposed on public bodies by FOIA requests that are unreasonable, disruptive, or abusive. This Act allows a public body to deny a request from a requestor whose intent is to disrupt the essential functions of the public body or abuse the process and allows a public body to charge administrative fees
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| 6/15/2021 |
SB 2
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 6, 26, AND 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO COMMUNITY OWNED ENERGY GENERATING FACILITIES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY. In order to lower the cost of energy and accelerate the adoption of community-based solar photovoltaic systems in the State, this bill eliminates current barriers to such systems and sets up a regulatory process to be implemented by the Public Service Commission with consumer protection provided by the Department of Justice. More specifically, this bill:
1. Allows for multiple types of ownership models, defined as “community-owned energy generating facilities," to exist and compete in the marketplace;
2. Increases the maximum size of these systems to 4 megawatts (MW);
3. Eliminates the requirement that all customers of a system must be located on the same distribution feeder;
4. Eliminates the requirement that all customers of a system must be identified before the system can be built;
5. Provides for the regulation of these systems by the Public S
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| 6/15/2021 |
SB 94 w/ SA 1
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE AND CHAPTER 265, VOLUME 82 OF THE LAWS OF DELAWARE RELATING TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 243 (150th General Assembly) enacted § 10006A of Title 29, which allows an advisory body to hold a virtual meeting, if there is an anchor location that is open to the public, allows any public body to hold public meetings during a state of emergency, and clarified that public bodies must allow a member with a disability to attend a meeting electronically as a reasonable accommodation under § 4504 of Title 6, unless doing so would present an undue burden. Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 243 sunsets on June 30, 2021.
During the last year, citizens and members of public bodies have become comfortable with virtual meetings and attendance and participation in public meetings has increased because virtual meetings are more convenient and accessible to many citizens. Thus, this Act makes permanent
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| 6/15/2021 |
HB 6
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE. This bill creates the Public Employee Sexual Violence Act which allows public employees who have suffered sexual violence in the workplace the ability to file an action against the perpetrator and the employee even if the applicable statute of limitations has run. This Act defines sexual violence and provides when a public employee who suffered sexual violence by a supervisor may file suit against an employer. This Act will allow a public employee who was a victim of sexual violence 1 year from the effective date to file claims in Superior Court.
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| 6/11/2021 |
SB 2
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 6, 26, AND 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO COMMUNITY OWNED ENERGY GENERATING FACILITIES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY. In order to lower the cost of energy and accelerate the adoption of community-based solar photovoltaic systems in the State, this bill eliminates current barriers to such systems and sets up a regulatory process to be implemented by the Public Service Commission with consumer protection provided by the Department of Justice. More specifically, this bill:
1. Allows for multiple types of ownership models, defined as “community-owned energy generating facilities," to exist and compete in the marketplace;
2. Increases the maximum size of these systems to 4 megawatts (MW);
3. Eliminates the requirement that all customers of a system must be located on the same distribution feeder;
4. Eliminates the requirement that all customers of a system must be identified before the system can be built;
5. Provides for the regulation of these systems by the Public S
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| 6/11/2021 |
SB 155
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. This Act revises the Delaware Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to address how public bodies may respond to FOIA requests that are unreasonable, disruptive, or abusive; requires all public bodies to post notice of meetings electronically; and clarifies and simplifies how a citizen may challenge a public body’s failure to comply with FOIA requirements. This Act does not change the definition of “public record."
Specifically, this Act does all of the following:
1. It amends the examination and copying of public records provisions of FOIA to alleviate the significant time, resources, and financial burdens imposed on public bodies by FOIA requests that are unreasonable, disruptive, or abusive. This Act allows a public body to deny a request from a requestor whose intent is to disrupt the essential functions of the public body or abuse the process and allows a public body to charge administrative fees
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| 4/14/2021 |
SB 83
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO COMPENSATION PAYMENTS FOR CERTAIN TAX EXEMPT PROPERTIES OWNED BY THE STATE. This Act changes the program for distributing payments to county seats with tax-exempt properties owned by the State. Section 8318 of Title 29 directs compensatory payments for exempt properties owned by the State to the county seats, Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown. This Act authorizes these compensatory payments to any municipality with a population over 25,000 and more than 20% tax exempt property owned by the State. This Act also adjusts the formula under which distributions to municipalities are made.
This Act improves the formulas to enable the elimination of specific dollar earmarks and to treat all higher education institutions in the State equally. The Act increases the compensatory payments under this section to each of the 3 county seats, and adds Newark to the program at a much lower payment than the payment provided to the county seats.
Budget Bill Category: NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL - ALL OTHER
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| 4/14/2021 |
SB 50
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A BOND AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ACT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE AND CERTAIN OF ITS AUTHORITIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022; AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF THE STATE; APPROPRIATING FUNDS FROM THE TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND; AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF REVENUE BONDS OF THE DELAWARE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY; APPROPRIATING SPECIAL FUNDS OF THE DELAWARE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY; APPROPRIATING GENERAL FUNDS OF THE STATE; REPROGRAMMING CERTAIN FUNDS OF THE STATE; SPECIFYING CERTAIN PROCEDURES, CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF SUCH FUNDS; AND AMENDING CERTAIN STATUTORY PROVISIONS. This Bill is the Fiscal Year 2022 Bond and Capital Improvements Act.
Budget Bill Category: NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL - ALL OTHER
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| 4/14/2021 |
UniCity Funding |
Budget Bill Category: 55-06-01 DELAWARE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
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| 4/14/2021 |
HB 105
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AN ACT MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE EXPENSE OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022; SPECIFYING CERTAIN PROCEDURES, CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF SUCH FUNDS; AND AMENDING CERTAIN PERTINENT STATUTORY PROVISIONS. This Bill is the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Act.
Budget Bill Category: 55-06-01 DELAWARE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
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| 4/14/2021 |
HB 36
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO BICYCLE APPROACHING OR ENTERING INTERSECTION. This act removes the October 5, 2021 sunset provision from this subsection.
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| 4/14/2021 |
HB 6
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE. This bill creates the Public Employee Sexual Violence Act which allows public employees who have suffered sexual violence in the workplace the ability to file an action against the perpetrator and the employee even if the applicable statute of limitations has run. This Act defines sexual violence and provides when a public employee who suffered sexual violence by a supervisor may file suit against an employer. This Act will allow a public employee who was a victim of sexual violence 1 year from the effective date to file claims in Superior Court.
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| 1/14/2021 |
SB 33
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO STANDARDS. This Act modifies the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Act to do the following:
(1) Continues increasing the required minimum percentage of electrical energy sales to Delaware end-use customers from renewable energy sources through 2035.
(2) Makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
(3) Eliminates “cost-cap” mechanism for freezing the RPS and replaces it with a market-based mechanism.
(4) Clarifies the rulemaking authority for this Act.
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| 1/14/2021 |
HB 200
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AN ACT TO AMEND THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CLEAN WATER FOR DELAWARE. Many of the State’s waters do not meet water quality standards to support their designated uses, such as for drinking, swimming or supporting aquatic life. The Clean Water for Delaware Act establishes a framework for assessing needs and planning and implementing projects that support Delaware’s efforts to improve the quality of the State’s water supply and waterways. A Delaware Clean Water Trust account is created as a funding source for executing projects highlighted by this framework.
The Trust account will have oversight from the Clean Water Trust Oversight Committee (the “Committee”). The Committee will draw upon recommendations from the Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, (WIAC), the county Conservation Districts’, experts in the effected Cabinet agencies and other public input with the goal of assisting municipal and county governments and others in implementing affordable water quality projects. The Comm
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| 1/14/2021 |
HB 11
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 9 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO NEW CASTLE COUNTY PROPERTY TAX RATES. This Act represents the work and recommendations of the Local Service Functions Task Force created by House Concurrent Resolution No. 54 of the 150th General Assembly (“Task Force”). The Task Force held 17 meetings during 2019 and 2020 and after considerable research and discussion, the members of the Task Force unanimously approved recommending these changes to the New Castle County budgeting process. In order to implement these changes for the Fiscal Year 2023 budget (“FY 23 Budget”), the first deadline in this Act that New Castle County must meet is January 31, 2021.
This Act revises the process by which the New Castle County tax rate for owners of real property in municipalities is calculated so that the tax rate more fairly attributes the cost of services to property owners in municipalities and the unincorporated area. This Act is modeled on the process that has been used successfully
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| 1/13/2021 |
HB 200
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AN ACT TO AMEND THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CLEAN WATER FOR DELAWARE. Many of the State’s waters do not meet water quality standards to support their designated uses, such as for drinking, swimming or supporting aquatic life. The Clean Water for Delaware Act establishes a framework for assessing needs and planning and implementing projects that support Delaware’s efforts to improve the quality of the State’s water supply and waterways. A Delaware Clean Water Trust account is created as a funding source for executing projects highlighted by this framework.
The Trust account will have oversight from the Clean Water Trust Oversight Committee (the “Committee”). The Committee will draw upon recommendations from the Water Infrastructure Advisory Council, (WIAC), the county Conservation Districts’, experts in the effected Cabinet agencies and other public input with the goal of assisting municipal and county governments and others in implementing affordable water quality projects. The Comm
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| 1/13/2021 |
HB 11
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AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 9 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO NEW CASTLE COUNTY PROPERTY TAX RATES. This Act represents the work and recommendations of the Local Service Functions Task Force created by House Concurrent Resolution No. 54 of the 150th General Assembly (“Task Force”). The Task Force held 17 meetings during 2019 and 2020 and after considerable research and discussion, the members of the Task Force unanimously approved recommending these changes to the New Castle County budgeting process. In order to implement these changes for the Fiscal Year 2023 budget (“FY 23 Budget”), the first deadline in this Act that New Castle County must meet is January 31, 2021.
This Act revises the process by which the New Castle County tax rate for owners of real property in municipalities is calculated so that the tax rate more fairly attributes the cost of services to property owners in municipalities and the unincorporated area. This Act is modeled on the process that has been used successfully
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