Delaware will remain the state with the highest realty transfer tax in the nation after a bill to decrease the tax died in the General Assembly. Introduced by Rep. Bill Bush, D-Dover, House Bill 358 would have cut the tax from 4% of a property’s sale price to 3% — the level it was at prior to 2017 when the …
With weeks to go before the first votes are cast in Delaware’s 2022 election cycle, advocates for government transparency are pushing for better campaign finance reporting. Common Cause Delaware, a nonprofit group that lobbies for open, honest and accountable government, has called for more frequent and detailed reporting of campaign funds collected when candidates run for office. “It’s common knowledge …
The Delaware Senate on Monday passed a resolution to begin a process Democratic leadership hopes will result in the removal of one of their own: State Auditor Kathleen McGuiness. Every Republican voted against the measure, putting them in line with House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth, who said he has “no intention of calling the House into session to consider this …
An outgoing Democratic member of the Delaware House of Representatives says House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf blocked his bill to create an office of the inspector general. Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark, said the move was typical of Schwartzkopf’s leadership style. That leadership style can be characterized by “coercion, intimidation, incentivizing and reward,” Kowalko said, and the inspector general bill is just …
Delawareans under the age of 21 would be prohibited from purchasing, owning, possessing or controlling a firearm or ammunition under a bill passed by the House of Representatives Tuesday. The move comes just days after the House voted to ban most semi-automatic firearms. Exceptions include if the person is an active member of the armed forces or a qualified law-enforcement …
The Delaware House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously passed a measure aimed at ending the tradition of extending legislative business beyond midnight on June 30 of each year. Under House Bill 411, the General Assembly would only be constitutionally mandated to stay until 5 p.m. on the last day of June. “Five o’clock becomes the new twelve o’clock, basically,” said …
A bill released from the House Administration Committee Wednesday would create a committee to review grants for nonprofit organizations and make recommendations to the Joint Finance Committee. Grant-In-Aid is an annual appropriation made by the General Assembly to support the activities of non-profit organizations in the state. The funds are intended to provide supplemental resources to service agencies. Applications for …
The State Senate unanimously passed a bill Thursday to remove the cap on the amount of money a police officer or firefighter can earn when out of work on disability. All 21 senators signed on as co-sponsors. Under current law, when an officer or firefighter is out on disability, any earnings greater than that which they collected at the time …
A bipartisan bill released from committee today would allow disabled officers and firefighters to earn more money without being penalized. Photo/Getty Images. On Dec. 10, 2020, Milford Police Cpl. T.J. Webb was shot six times while attempting to arrest a fugitive near Rehoboth Beach. The man who shot Webb was killed by police during the incident, but it was only …
The leaders of the Delaware House of Representatives and Senate plan to open Legislative Hall to the public effective immediately, they said during a committee meeting Thursday. Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf and Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Dave Sokola plan to announce the building’s opening later Thursday or Friday. “My intent is open to building up, get …
