A law that would put Delaware in a class with seven other states offering a unique burial method passed the Senate Thursday. House Bill 162, sponsored by Rep. Sean Lynn, D-Dover, opens the doors for cemeteries to begin offering increasingly-popular natural organic reduction after death. Natural organic reduction is the gentle, respectful process that accelerates the decomposition of human remains …
Delawareâs lawmakers got their first taste Thursday of a landmark, 200-page report from the American Institutes for Research that suggested the state invest up to 50% more in public education. The report was released in December at an event that only a few legislators attended, and on Thursday, it was introduced to the General Assembly in a joint House and …
Editor’s note: This report has been updated to reflect that Medicaid is not overseen by Public Health The Delaware Division of Public Health wants a 2025 budget of $167.4 million, but about $3.5 million of that is not in the governorâs recommended budget. That puzzled the chair of the state Joint Finance Committee, which writes the state budget. Itâs in …
Since this yearâs General Assembly session opened in January, hundreds of bills have passed, from marijuana legalization to climate change regulations. Plenty are still waiting for the second half of the 152nd session of the Assembly, which begins in January. Minority Leader Mike Ramone, R-Pike Creek, said Republicans had several tax bills that they are going to introduce at the …
A bill that requires DNREC to investigate offshore wind as a power source and work with electric companies to analyze its impact will head to the full Senate. Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown, passed the Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee meeting Wednesday. SB 17 0 would require the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control …
Several energy-related bills waltzed through the House Resources and Energy Committee Tuesday, despite Republican opposition. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 7, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown, would update the responsibilities of the State Energy Office to include developing the State Energy Plan, the stateâs Climate Action Plan, and transitioning Delaware towards more renewable energy. The bill is a …
Rep. Rich Collins on Tuesday begged House Democrats to join him in opposing a bill that set greenhouse gas emission limits in Delaware. âI have begged you to stand up one time and not just take this direction that apparently is so overwhelmingly powerful in this chamber,â the Millsboro Republican said. âAnd I know I’ve lost. I tell you it’s …
A Senate committee has pushed along a bill that would expand the powers of the State Energy Office, but delayed hearing a bill that would restrict DNRECâs powers over electric vehicles. The Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee voted Tuesday to send Senate Bill 7 to the Senate Finance Committee for further vetting. While Senate committees do not take votes …
With several climate bills moving through the Delaware General Assembly, a new bill proposes to increase the scope and power of a DNREC energy agency, sort of a state government version of Toklienâs âone ring to rule them all.â Senate Bill 7, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown, would empower the Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy to help oversee …
Sen. Eric Buckson, R-Dover, had issues Wednesday with a maternal health bill changing the words âwomanâ and âwomenâ to âpersonâ and âpeople.â Senate Bill 106, sponsored by Sen. Kyle Gay, D-Elsmere, would replace those words in the Delaware code on maternal health and also change the term maternal depression to perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. These changes would apply to …
