The 2020 census counted 967,000 Delawareans, but a new followup analysis by the U.S. Bureau includes Delaware as one of 14 states with statistically significant miscounts, concluding there are really only maybe about 917,000 Delawareans. The bureau’s traditional followup involved a survey of 161,00 housing units and a lot of number crunching. And in Delaware’s case, adjusting the count …
The Delaware House of Representatives on Thursday voted down a bill to legalize, tax and regulate the cultivation and sale of marijuana in the First State. The bill fell just one vote short. House Bill 372, sponsored by Rep. Ed Osienski, D-Newark, represents the second half of a two-pronged approach to marijuana legalization. The first half of the effort, HB …
The Delaware House of Representatives on Thursday will vote on the second of two bills aimed at legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana. House Bill 372 (Part B), sponsored by Rep. Ed Osienski, D-Newark, creates the legal framework for cannabis to be grown and sold in Delaware. Another bill, HB 371 (Part A), already passed in the House and Senate and …
A bill to guarantee tenants the right to legal counsel in eviction proceedings failed in the House Appropriations Committee Thursday. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 101, which will not advance to the House floor, would have: Created a right to legal representation for renters facing eviction whose household income is lower than 200% of federal poverty guidelines; Placed coordination …
Two Republican lawmakers stormed out of a House committee hearing Wednesday after being asked to limit their questions and public comments were restricted to one minute each. The committee met to discuss five bills with just an hour allotted for the meeting before lawmakers were due on the House floor for a short session. Two of those bills – Senate …
The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill that will put Sen. Nicole Poore on the board of directors of the Fort DuPont Redevelopment and Preservation Corp. Poore – who represents Delaware City, where Fort DuPont is located – also serves as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Capital Improvements, commonly referred to as the Bond Committee. The Bond …
Two lawmakers on opposite sides of the political spectrum have found common ground in their desire to increase transparency and accountability in state government. A bill filed by Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark South, and Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, would establish an independent and nonpartisan inspector general office in Delaware. The proposed office would investigate state agencies to identify and …
A bipartisan bill to put state law enforcement officials in charge of background checks for gun purchases has been filed in the Delaware General Assembly. House Bill 423, sponsored by Rep. Larry Mitchell, D-Elsmere, would reinstitute Delaware’s Firearm Transaction Approval Program, known as FTAP. Federal law allows states to conduct background checks through a state agency instead of directly through …
The Delaware House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously passed a measure aimed at ending the tradition of extending legislative business beyond midnight on June 30 of each year. Under House Bill 411, the General Assembly would only be constitutionally mandated to stay until 5 p.m. on the last day of June. “Five o’clock becomes the new twelve o’clock, basically,” said …
The Delaware State Senate on Thursday passed a bill to legalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. House Bill 371, sponsored by Rep. Ed Osienski, D-Newark, passed along party lines and now heads to Gov. John Carney. Under the bill, it would be totally legal to possess one ounce or less of marijuana in Delaware, except for …
