A bill to establish an âindependent and nonpartisanâ inspector general’s office moved forward Wednesday in a Delaware House committee. The House Administration Committee also moved along a bill to encourage filming in the state by offering tax credits. The committee started discussion to create a constitutional right of a clean environment, but, citing time, continued discussion to Thursdayâs committee meeting, …
A controversial bill to ban the purchase of semi-automatic firearms in Delaware narrowly passed in the House of Representatives Thursday against the objections of every Republican lawmaker as well as some Democrats. The bill passed 22 to 19 and will advance to the Senate for consideration. âThe intention of this legislation is simple and clear: to make sure that the …
Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark, said Tuesday night âgun worshipersâ should âstick the barrel of your piece in your mouth.â A casual observer may assume he was responding to a post about Tuesdayâs mass shooting in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. In reality, Kowalko was talking about people who donât want to wear masks despite the number of COVID-19 cases …
A bill that would stop school boards from unilaterally increasing school property taxes as much as 10% after a pending state property revaluation was sent by unanimous vote to the House floor Wednesday. During Wednesdayâs House Education Committee, Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek said his House Bill 389 would address the current reassessments of property in all three countries …
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 …
Two bills set to be filed in the General Assembly would create an inspector generalâs office in Delaware to investigate claims of waste, fraud, abuse and corruption within state government. Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, said while Delaware already has a state auditor and attorney general, the inspector generalâs office would âfill a gap in their coverage.â  âThe inspector general …
Firebrand progressive Rep. John Kowalko will retire at the end of his term in November after spending nearly 16 years in the Delaware House of Representatives. The 76-year-old Democrat from Newark made the announcement on the House floor Thursday afternoon to the surprise of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. âI am proud of my continuous and resolute support, …
Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels. Alleged offenders of certain violent crimes could soon face mandatory minimum bail requirements under a bill passed by the House of Representatives Thursday. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 7 is aimed at reducing violent crime in two of Delawareâs largest and most dangerous cities, Wilmington and Dover, by eliminating the ability of judges …
Delaware House of Representatives on Thursday passed the minimum wage bill. A bill that will raise Delaware’s minimum wage to $15 by Jan. 1, 2025, passed the House of Representatives Thursday, and its next stop will be Gov. John Carney’s desk. A last-minute flurry of amendments to Senate Bill 15 that would have allowed some groups to pay less …
