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 …
Renter, landlord advocates disagree over solutions to eviction crisis
Lawmakers and advocates say a new Delaware Supreme Court rule that allows tenants to be represented by non-lawyer advocates in eviction proceedings will create parity with landlords and mitigate some of the most harmful effects of housing insecurity. Opponents, including the Delaware Apartment Association, the non-profit group that represents the interests of multi-family rental unit landlords, say efforts and money …
Resolution condemning federal government for school board overreach fails in Senate
Photo by MChe Lee/Unsplash A Republican resolution to condemn federal action against parents at school board meetings and reaffirm their rights to bring grievances to local boards of education failed Monday in the Delaware Senate along party lines. On Oct. 4, the federal Department of Justice issued a one-page memo instructing the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to meet with …
Delaware Senate publishes final proposed redistricting maps
Slaughter Beach was returned to District 18 in Sussex County rather than being grouped into a largely Kent County district. Democratic leaders in the State Senate have published their final proposed Senate maps in advance of a Nov. 1 special session to consider a redistricting bill. The special session comes just six days before the deadline for both parties …
Slaughter Beach mayor asks Dems to rethink moving town to new Senate district
Slaughter Beach’s mayor said she’s fearful the town will lose progress it’s made on climate and infrastructure issues if it’s moved into a district that’s mostly Kent County. If Senate Democrats have their way, the town of Slaughter Beach could become part of the 16th Senate District — and the mayor is not happy about it. Democratic leaders in …
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 …
Legislative leaders spar over mask protests at school board meetings
Delaware legislators issued dueling press statements about people opposing the school mask mandate. Photo by Vera Davidova/Unsplash Democratic members of the Delaware Senate Education Committee lashed out Wednesday night, calling vocal protesters at school board meetings opposing the state mask mandate “immature and irresponsible.” “Our schools and our children’s education should not be held hostage by a vocal minority …
Delaware Ag Museum to use $1.6 million for lighting, electrical upgrades
The Delaware Agriculture Museum in Dover showcases the state’s biggest industry. The Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village in Dover is set to undergo major improvements after receiving a $1.6 million grant from the state’s bond bill. The museum plans to use the grant to complete much-needed infrastructural improvements, including electrical and energy-efficient lighting upgrades to the museum’s main building, all …
List of Bond Bill’s community projects still unpublished
When the General Assembly passed a record-setting $1.3 billion bond bill last week, the spending package did not include a list of the $70 million in projects chosen by legislators for their districts. The Community Redevelopment Fund includes one-time allocations which legislators earmark for nonprofits, schools, and community agencies in their districts. Ordinarily, each organization receiving funding would have its …