By Bradley Vasoli A government-reform nonprofit is urging Delaware lawmakers to reverse course on their plans for Legislative Hall expansion, renovations, and garage construction. The Delaware Coalition for Open Government (DelCOG), an organization of activists, politicians, and journalists founded in 2006 to advocate state-government accountability and transparency, sees the Dover project as too pricey for too little public benefit. Delaware’s …
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct voting information. Childcare facilities was on the wish list for an expanded Legislative Hall, along with an access-controlled parking lot linked by a tunnel or legislators or staff could use. Philip Conte with architects StudioJAED recommended against the tunnel for a variety of reasons, but the Legislative Building Committee voted in …
A state building committee voted Friday to build a private tunnel from a planned parking deck into Legislative Hall to allow elected officials to safely walk from secured parking spots into the building without interaction with the public. Right now, the legislators park in marked parking spots with their names clearly marked on them around the capital building. The tunnel …
This story was originally published in August 2022. A committee assembled to draft plans for a potential expansion of Delaware’s state capitol building spent much of its Thursday meeting reiterating the tentative nature of its work. The committee was established after the General Assembly unanimously voted in 2021 to study and recommend a plan to address Legislative Hall’s technological, security …
Leaders in the Delaware Senate have revealed the body’s committee assignments for the 152nd General Assembly which begins in January. Senate President Pro Tempore-Elect Dave Sokola announced the assignments Monday. “Legislative committees are an essential part of the legislative process where senators gather public input and determine which bills should move forward,” Sokola said in a news release. “The assignments …
In response to protests by state government retirees who say they were left in the dark over a significant change to their health insurance, the General Assembly unveiled a bill Monday aimed at creating additional oversight. The House of Representatives and Senate will hold a special session in Dover on Oct. 26 to debate and vote on the bill. Pensioners …
Lawmakers, state employees and law enforcement officers gathered at Legislative Hall Tuesday to learn how Delaware can better address the scourge of human trafficking. Delaware is one of 39 states to receive an ‘F’ on the Shared Hope International Child and Youth Sex Trafficking Report Card, attendees learned Tuesday. Areas the state performed the worst in include identification and response …
A committee assembled to draft plans for a potential expansion of Delaware’s state capitol building spent much of its Thursday meeting reiterating the tentative nature of its work. The committee was established after the General Assembly unanimously voted in 2021 to study and recommend a plan to address Legislative Hall’s technological, security and space needs. The group appears to have …
Voters in Northwest Wilmington, Brandywine Village and Trolley Square will have three choices when they decide who to send to Dover as their next state representative. They can go with who they know: incumbent Democratic Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha. They can toss Chukwuocha out and promote progressive Councilwoman Shane Darby to the seat. Or they could do the unlikely and vote …
Delaware’s state capitol building could be set for a major expansion. A bit of background: Between 1791 and 1933, Delaware’s General Assembly met in the Old State House, just down the road from the current capitol building, known as Legislative Hall. After 224 years of continuous use, the Old State House became cramped and uncomfortable, unable to meet the needs …
