A pretty pro-forma session yesterday. I listened to the Senate Corrections Committee hearing on the Plummer Center and the residents and programs that have now been transferred to a facility in Smyrna. The main takeaway? The Plummer Center ain’t coming back, at least not in its previous capacity. Here is an article about the hearing.
Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report. All the bills on both agendas passed.
Huge Committee Day today. Starting with the Senate highlights:
Two bills dealing with ‘virtual currency’:
SB 16 (Mantzavinos) ‘addresses digital assets, expands the State Bank Commissioner’s authority, modernizes corporate governance and organizational requirements for state-chartered banks and trust companies, facilitates interstate trust company operations and conversions, and expands the authority of out-of-state financial institutions to act as fiduciaries in Delaware’. The bill is called ‘The Bank Modernization Act Of 2026’. In Delaware-Speak, that means we’re making Delaware ‘more attractive’ for the purveyors of these services regardless of whether it’s in the public interest.
A companion bill, SB 19 (Mantzavinos), ‘establishes the Delaware Payment Stablecoin Act under Title 5 of the Delaware Code. It creates a licensing framework for payment stablecoin issuers and digital asset service providers operating with or on behalf of Delaware residents.’ Longtime students of the Delaware legislative process know that these are the kinds of bills that make it to the Governor’s desk within weeks. No use fighting it. Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology.
SB 269 (Sturgeon) ‘requires individual health insurance policies under Chapter 33 of Title 18, group and blanket health insurance policies under Chapter 35 of Title 18, and the state employee health plan under Chapter 52 of Title 29 to cover’ hearing aids under several circumstances. Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology.
Two bad ‘pro-life’ bills from ‘Christian’ Sen. Richardson. Neither is getting out of committee, so I’m not linking. Health & Social Services.
SB 9 (Hansen) ‘institutes a State nontidal wetlands program to include additional wetlands that are no longer regulated at the federal level. The State wetlands program will cover both tidal and nontidal wetlands, and in that manner fill in gaps in federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act and mitigate the uncertainty surrounding the limits to federal jurisdiction and improve efficiencies in the wetland permitting processes.’ That synopsis reads like ‘We’re doing this because the Trump Administration no longer is’. Environment, Energy & Transportation.
SB 276 (Hansen) ‘amends Delaware law to provide that electric cooperatives are not required to provide electric supply service to large load electric users with a projected monthly demand of more than 50MW. Environment, Energy & Transportation.
Rethugs gotta Rethug. SB 222 (Buckson) ‘is the first leg of a constitutional amendment that would create term limits for legislators and the Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Auditor of Accounts, and State Treasurer. Specifically, this Act provides: (1) That an individual may not be elected to be a Senator more than 5 times or a Representative more than 8 times. (2) That an individual may not be appointed or elected to serve more than 2 times each as the Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Auditor of Accounts, or State Treasurer. Can we talk? Progressive Democrats have been doing a pretty damn good job of getting rid of legislators who no longer represent their constituents. There might have been a time when one could argue that this proposal had relevance. That time is not now. Executive.
SB 268 (Brown) ‘provides the following support for federal workers during a government shutdown: (1) In Section 1 of this Act, interest free loans to provide financial assistance. (2) In Section 2 of this Act, free transportation on public transit. (3) In Sections 3 through 6 of this Act, deferral of certain State, county, and school tax filings, payments, and collections.’ Good bill. Elections & Government Affairs.
Today’s House Committee highlights:
It’s that time again. The Corporate Law section of the Delaware Bar is back with their annual package to ‘to keep it current and to maintain its national preeminence’. There was a time when that was presumed to mean ‘cutting-edge best practices’. That has changed to ‘giving away as much as we need to keep companies from fleeing to states with Wild West corporate practices’. Appropriately, the House package is being sponsored by Richards, Layton & Finger’s most-favored and handsomely-remunerated corporate lackey, Rep. Griffith. Here are the bills. Nobody really knows what’s in them: HB 352; HB 353; HB 354. Judiciary.
HB 316 (Morrison) makes clear that statutes making it a felony to attack state employees also applies to attacks on elected officials. Judiciary.
Here’s one I found interesting. HB 337 (Ortega) ‘requires that effective amounts of folic acid be added to corn masa flour and corn masa which are staples in many minority diets.’ Here’s why:
Minority communities in the United States face a greater risk of neural tube defects (NTDs), which are serious birth defects that occur during early pregnancy. NTDs include spina bifida, characterized by an opening along the spine that can cause mild to severe nerve damage and disability, and anencephaly, a fatal condition where parts of the brain or skull are missing in newborns. Research has shown that daily intake of folic acid can reduce the risk of NTDs by over half. In response, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration mandated folic acid fortification in enriched cereal grain products in 1998, resulting in a 35% reduction in NTD cases. However, this policy did not include corn masa flour, a staple in many minority diets.
Wow. I did not know that. Good bill. Health & Human Development.
HB 332 (Ross Levin) ‘requires that a person that prepares, distributes, sells, or advertises for sale a food that is represented to be a kratom product to disclose the factual basis on which the representation is made. It establishes prohibitions related to the preparation, distribution, sale, and advertisement of kratom products, including prohibiting the distribution or sale to individuals under the age of 21.’ Here’s an article from the Mayo Clinic on the problems associated with kratom. I’d heard the term, but didn’t know what it was. Now I do. Health & Human Development.
We have two ‘show-horse’ education bills from Republicans. (Kids, when a bill only has Rethug sponsors, you know its sole purpose is to appear on websites and political lit.) For completists, here are the two bills, both sponsored by the Original Michael Smith: HB 330; HB 331.
HB 400 (Harris) reflects the Governor’s proposal to increase certain business licensing fees. The bill requires a 3/5ths vote in each house to ensure passage. Meaning, the bills can pass on a straight party vote. Were it 2/3rds, it would require some R support in the House. Administration.
HB 370 (Harris) ‘codifies the Delaware Economic & Financial Advisory Council (“DEFAC”) which has existed by Executive Order since 1977. It is known and may be cited as the “DuPont-Cook Financial Responsibility Act.” The purpose of this Act is to preserve DEFAC’s current structure while strengthening continuity, transparency, and clarity. DEFAC consists of at least 25, but no more than 34, members.’ Not gonna lie, legislation that memorializes a ‘DuPont/Cook’ anything is distasteful to me. But whatchagonna do? Administration.
Today’s Senate Agenda (remember, the House doesn’t run agendas on Wednesdays) is comprised mostly of nominations. One helpful mnemonic device for those of you who struggle to remember names–Tim Sheldon has been reappointed to serve on the Delaware Solid Waste Authority. So, whenever you think of Tim Sheldon, if you ever think of Tim Sheldon, just associate him with solid waste. It’s perfect for him.