Gov. John Carney has signed a law requiring a state agency for child services to explore joining a federal program that aims to find permanent housing solutions for foster children. Senate Joint Resolution 1, from Sen. Eric Buckson, R-Dover, and Rep. Kim Williams, D-Stanton, directs the Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families to consider participating in the …
Back to school: teacher raises, mental health help, funding
As First State public schools reopen next week, most students wonāt see much difference in the day-to-day workings of the classroom. But thereās a lot going on in the background. Many districts will be adopting new science and math curriculums designed to help counter the stateās dismal test scores ā and continue the battle against COVID-19 learning loss. More mental …
DelawareLIVE Weekly Review ā July 2, 2023
Click on the image below to view as a PDF This Weekās Top Headlines Include: Headlines Seaford, EV bills pass House, so GOP votes to OK bond bill Ramone: Pass the Seaford bill, or GOP wonāt vote on bond bill Christinaās Baqir: Review UD contracts after cop incident Culture Your guide to July 4th holiday in Delaware Feds award $44M …
Fairness in Girlsā Sports Act introduced
With only a week left in this year’s legislative session, a Seaford Republican plans to introduce a bill that would only allow trans athletes to participate in sports against players who match their biological sex. Sen. Bryant Richardson said he filed Senate Bill 191, which he dubbed the Fairness in Girlsā Sports Act, because it is unfair to allow transgender …
Buckson calls for accountability, discipline in schools
A law establishing a statewide program that provides advocates to students and families facing educational inequity drew discussion in the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday. House Bill 188, sponsored by Rep. Sheraeāa Moore, D-Middletown, codifies the Equity Ombudsman program, which provides non-lawyer advocates to assist families.Ā āIn 2018 there was litigation against the state ā¦ brought by the NAACP and …
Apprenticeship programs law aims to combat teacher shortage
The most recent plan to attract teachers to Delaware schools was applauded in the Senate Education Committee Wednesday. House Bill 138, sponsored by Rep. Kim Williams, D-Marshallton and chair of the House Education Committee, addresses the ongoing national teacher shortage. The legislation establishes a new tool to recruit and retain educators through an apprenticeship pilot program.Ā This model will build …
5-year property reassessment bill on way to Carney
After decades of no regular property assessments, all three Delaware counties likely will be required to conduct them every five years, after the current reassessment forced by a court order ends in 2025. House Bill 62, sponsored by Rep. Madinah Wilson-Anton, D-Newark, passed the Senate Tuesday. It would require counties to reassess real property values at least once every five …
Senate passes offshore wind energy collaboration bill
The Senate passed seven bills Thursday, but two of them ā one about offshore wind energy and one about tenant protections ā received some resistance. Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown, requires the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to work with the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection to look into the viability of generating offshore wind …
Allowing abortion workers to mask addresses OK’d by Senate
The Senate passed bills Tuesday pertaining to confidentiality for abortion providers, minority party representation on an emergency health committee and payouts for employment discrimination. Senate Bill 158, sponsored by Sen. Kyle Evans Gay, D-Arden, focuses on confidentiality rights for medical providers.Ā The bill allows anyone who is a reproductive health care services provider or employee to apply for participation in …
Changing ‘woman’ to ‘person’ doesn’t stop maternity bill
Republicans and Democrats went back and forth in arguing about the definition of woman in a maternity health bill, but all agreed on the need to raise awareness about human trafficking. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 106, sponsored by Sen. Kyle Gay, D-Elsmere, would replace the words āwomanā and āwomenā with āpersonā and āpeopleā in the Delaware code on …