Photo/Getty Images Delawareans will soon receive $300 checks thanks to a bipartisan direct relief bill signed Thursday by Gov. John Carney. The bill, aimed at helping Delawareans faced with high gas prices and soaring inflation, consists of a one-time payment to every state taxpayer who filed a 2020 tax return. “Delaware families are dealing with higher costs at the grocery …
Lawmakers announce plan to give every Delaware taxpayer $300
Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Thursday announced a plan to give every Delaware taxpayer $300 in direct economic relief. The relief plan, which would send direct payments to every Delawarean who filed a 2020 tax return, has the backing of Gov. John Carney. Legislation is currently being drafted to enable relief payments. A bill is expected to be introduced during …
Bill to remove double registration requirement passes Senate
A bill to require Delaware cities and towns to use the state’s voter registration system for local elections passed in the State Senate Tuesday. Under Senate Bill 233, voters who live within town limits would be able to vote in municipal elections without having to register separately with both the state and the town. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Tizzy …
Six months from election, most candidates have yet to file
With just six months to go before the first votes are cast in the 2022 General Assembly elections, most incumbent state representatives and senators have yet to file for re-election. The current legislative session comes to an end in November, meaning all 21 Senate seats and 41 House seats will be up for grabs. Candidates must file by July 12 …
Paid leave passes in Senate, heads to House
Photo/Getty Images Paid family and medical leave in Delaware moved one step closer to becoming a reality Tuesday after the Senate passed a bill to create the program along party lines. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Sarah McBride, D-Wilmington North, will now advance to the House of Representatives. The Healthy Delaware Families Act would create a statewide insurance program to …
Legislative Hall to reopen to the public
The leaders of the Delaware House of Representatives and Senate plan to open Legislative Hall to the public effective immediately, they said during a committee meeting Thursday. Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf and Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Dave Sokola plan to announce the building’s opening later Thursday or Friday. “My intent is open to building up, get …
Republicans give Carney’s $5 billion budget proposal a C+
Left to right: Senate Minority Leader Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View, Senate Minority Whip Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, House Minority Whip Tim Dukes, R-Laurel, Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown. House and Senate Republicans are generally pleased with Gov. John Carney’s $5 billion proposed state budget but argue more should be done to return money to taxpayers given the state’s rosy economic outlook. …
Carney ready to spend money in 2022; GOP wants tax relief
Photo by Daniel Sato The state of the state is strong, said Gov. John Carney during his annual address before a joint session of the General Assembly Thursday. Much of Carney’s speech focused on the fallout of COVID-19, including its impact on the state’s economy and the work that still needs to be done to confront new variants and surges. …
General Assembly passes redistricting bill; new district lines take effect next election
Delaware Legislative Hall by Brian K. Leonard. September 2021. When Delawareans vote for their state representatives and senators a year from now, they could find out that they live in a new legislative district. That’s because during a special session of the General Assembly on Monday, both chambers approved Senate Bill 199, which redraws those district boundaries. The bill passed …
Senate redistricting maps show few impactful changes
Most Senate districts will change some boundaries , but only slightly. Democratic leaders in the State Senate have published draft maps of Delaware’s 21 Senate districts and announced a date for the legislature to consider a final redistricting bill. The Senate will convene in a special session on Nov. 1 to finalize the maps that will define Delaware’s …