A bill that passed through the Delaware General Assembly and was set to become law and allow physician-assisted suicide has been vetoed by Gov. John Carney. In a written statement, the Democrat governor said throughout his tenure, he’s consistently opposed legalizing this end-of-life option. “I have always recognized, and do today, that this is a deeply personal issue,” he stated. …
Amended polystyrene ban bill passes House
A bill banning the use of polystyrene containers, including Styrofoam, passed the House and will head back to the Senate after three amendments were passed with it. Senate Bill 51, sponsored by Sen. Trey Paradee, D-Dover, would ban the use of polystyrene containers in restaurants, fire companies, and nonprofit organizations, along with single use plastic straws, and beverage, cocktail picks …
Retiree subcommittee to vote this summer on insurance
A previous version of this story said the committee will vote to endorse a retiree health insurance option on June 26. It will not. It plans to vote at some point during the summer. A subcommittee devoted to finding a solution to insurance for state retirees that balances cost to the state and to the retiree talked about a …
Panel: State should make 1% extra retiree funding the law
A subcommittee exploring state retiree health plans on Monday voted to recommend that the General Assembly codify putting 1% of the state budget into a fund that pays retiree benefits to lower the billions of dollars of deficit. The State Employee Benefits retiree subcommittee asked Cheiron, a consulting firm, to look into additional ways for the state to lower the …
Bill to give low-wage workers lower taxes moves on
A House finance committee released a bill that ultimately will allow low-wage earners to keep more of their money, a move that will cost the state 10s of millions every year. House Bill 89, sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark, would do three things: Increase the amount of refunded tax from 4.5% to 7.5% for low-wage earners who meet the …
Bill to let lower wage earners keep more $$$ heads to hearing
A bill that would allow more lower wage earners to keep more of their pay is set to be heard Tuesday in the House Revenue & Finance committee. House Bill 89, introduced by Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark, would increase the amount of refunded tax for those who meet the federal Earned Income Tax Credit from 4.5% to 7.5%. It would …
To-go alcohol, certified nursing assistant bills fly through House
A bill to permanently allow the sale of to-go alcoholic beverages by restaurants and another to allow the secretary of health to change nursing assistant certification requirements both passed in the state House by wide margins Thursday. The to-go alcohol bill was amended to change the kind and quantity of alcohol allowed to be sold. House Bill 280, sponsored by …
Proposed voting maps draw ire of voters, advocacy groups, GOP
Expedited redistricting process draws ire of open-government groups, concerned citizens House Democratic leaders have held the second and final public hearing on proposed redistricting maps. Now, the clock is ticking toward the General Assembly’s self-imposed Nov. 8 deadline to finalize the maps that will define Delaware’s House and Senate districts for the next decade. Despite the majority caucuses’ efforts to …