HB 54, which would create an Office of Suicide Prevention, will first be heard in committee Wednesday, March 19 at 11:30 a.m. (Photo by Fabian Montano/iStock Getty Images)

Large nonprofit urges public to back bill creating Office of Suicide Prevention

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

This is a developing story. Check back for updates The nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness is urging First Staters to contact their legislators to back an Office of Suicide Prevention. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Delaware branch released a notice Monday night …

A handful of dog bills and other animal-related bills passed through the General Assembly this year. (Photo by TheDogPhotographer/iStock Getty Images)

Legislative Wrap-up: animal-related bills passed in 2024

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

This year’s legislative session had a slew of bills related to animals and domestic pets that passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate. RELATED: Legislative Wrap-up: gun bills passed in 2024 From laws pertaining to financial and legal penalties for owners to laws aiming to prevent dog fighting, here are the animal bills that passed in 2024: House …

The Delaware General Assembly passed a few firearm bills this year, and a few more are hung up and can be brought back next year. (Photo by Mariusz Blach/Adobe Stock)

Legislative Wrap-up: gun bills passed in 2024

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

Delaware’s state legislature is not immune to the national discussions on key societal issues, such as firearms.  With this year’s legislative session ending Sunday, here’s a look at the bills relating to guns that passed in 2024: House Bill 357 – definition of “firearm” Sponsored by Rep. Jeff Spiegelman, R-Clayton, the bill derives from a task force charged with updating …

The bill would give Todmorden Foundation, an affordable housing group, exemption from school property taxes. (Photo from ForRent.com)

Affordable housing group seeks school tax exemptions

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

The Delaware legislature pushed through a bill that would exempt an affordable housing organization from paying certain taxes. Senate Bill 78, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman, D-Wilmington, exempts people from paying school property taxes on real estate owned by Todmorden Foundation and used for the purposes of affordable housing.  That organization is a non-profit that provides affordable …

The bill would impose fines on people whose dogs bark excessively.

Homeowners could be soon be fined for their barking dogs 

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

  A bill that would shift the burden away from police while also establishing monetary fines for homeowners with excessively barking dogs was unanimously supported in the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday. House Bill 124, sponsored by Rep. Eric Morrison, D-Glasgow, eliminates animal noise and noise disturbances from the Noise Control and Abatement Chapter in Delaware Code.  It clarifies that the …

Delaware House of Representatives Morrison

House GOP condemns Morrison for rape, violence comments

Betsy PriceHeadlines, Government

Delaware House Republicans this week condemned Rep. Eric Morrison who, among other things, said in a hearing that racketeering, extortion and bestiality were not violent crimes and that most cases of rape were statutory and not violent.  “While Rep. Morrison is factually wrong–racketeering, extortion and bestiality often  involve violence–our antipathy for his declaration centers on his views of sexual assault …

sexuality

Bill adding asexuality, pansexuality into law moves to House

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

A move to add asexuality and pansexuality to the state definition of sexual orientation led to conversations about what those terms mean — and a warning that adding them could one day lead to adding pedophiles, too. Rep. Eric Morrison, D-Newark/Bear, said the idea for House Bill 275 came from a member of Delaware’s LBGTQ+ community who identifies as pansexual. …