This Act provides clarity on the type of certification and the accepted certifying agencies for increases over the basic salary schedule.

This Act updates House Bill 455 from the 151st General Assembly by providing the same legal protections afforded providers of contraceptive and abortion services to providers of gender-affirming health care.

This Act provides that a contractor is jointly or severally liable for a violation of the Delaware Contractor Registration Act by a subcontractor.

Under § 3716(e) of Title 19, the Family and Medical Leave Program (FMLP) allows the Department of Labor (Department) to approve private benefits in existence on May 10, 2022, as a private plan under the FMLP, for applications submitted by January 1, 2024. This Act revises the appeal process when the Department denies an application under § 3716(e) so that the hearing is conducted by the Secretary of the Department instead of the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Appeal Board (Appeals Board). The primary function of the Appeals Board is to conduct hearings on denials of individual claims for benefits under the FMLP, but individuals will not be eligible for these benefits until January 1, 2026. Thus, the Appeals Board does not otherwise need to be established in 2023, and the expertise members need is in areas other than those needed for appeals of decisions under § 3716(e) of Title 19.

This Resolution proclaims June 19, 2023. as Juneteenth National Independence Day in Delaware and encourages the people of Delaware to reflect upon the significant roles and many contributions of African Americans and to celebrate this day with appropriate activities and events.

This Concurrent Resolution does all of the following:

This Act replaces references to Masters in the Court of Chancery with Magistrate.

This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 182. Like Senate Bill No. 182, this act does all of the following:

This Act establishes updated, detailed standards for the practice of hearing aid dispensing. Definitions are added to specify that the standards and requirements pertaining hearing aid dispensing apply to prescription hearing aids only and not to over-the-counter hearing aids. Hearing aid dispenser licensure requirements consist of a high school diploma, six months of on-the-job training, and a national exam. Currently, hearing aid dispensers are expressly prohibited from making medical diagnoses or audiologic evaluations, as set forth in 24 Del. C. § 3702(7). Input from stakeholders demonstrated that HADs were practicing outside the permissible scope of practice. Impermissible activities include cerumen management (wax removal), which is considered invasive, and treating tinnitus (ringing in the ears), which can indicate more complex medical issues. These conditions are appropriately treated by a physician, preferably a hearing specialist. Further, HADs frequently use medical diagnosis codes to ensure payment from insurance carriers, which conflicts with the medical diagnosis prohibition in the current law. A new scope of practice definition delineates permissible and prohibited activities and identifies when referral to a physician is required. This Act also clarifies that a speech/language pathologist applicant must present a certificate of clinical competence issued by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Audiologist applicants are not subject to this requirement. The distinction is that ASHA evaluates the speech/language pathologists practicum and clinical fellowship, which are requirements for licensure. In contrast, an audiologist applicant is only required to establish receipt of a doctoral degree and successful completion of a national licensure examination. This Act clarifies that audiologists licensed prior to July 10, 2009 do not need to meet the educational requirement of a doctoral degree as long as they have maintained Delaware licensure. This Act further amends provisions relating to examinations to comport with current practice. This Act revises the reciprocity requirements in the interests of clarity. This Act sets forth requirements for licensure of applicants who were educated outside of the United States. This Act removes the definitions of audiology aide and speech pathology aide on the basis that the Board does not license aides.

This Act increases the number of statewide Family Court Commissioners from 5 to 7 with at least 2 of the Commissioners being assigned to Kent County and 2 of the Commissioners being assigned to Sussex County. This Act also requires all newly appointed Commissioners and reappointed Commissioners, upon application for nomination by the Governor, to reside in the county where they seek to be appointed. This Act will take effect on July 1,2024.

This Act clarifies the process of obtaining a Nursery Inspection Certificate through the Nursery Industry License Application (NILA), which is now available online. This Act also cleans up and updates language used in relation to Nurseries and Nursery Stock. This Act provides for the proceeds of any fines or penalties imposed for violations under Chapter 13 to be deposited in a special fund account in the Department of Agriculture and used to support the nursery inspection programs of the Department of Agriculture.

This bill repeals the requirement that the Housing Director provide notice of the allocation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and Housing Development Funds to the state senator, the state representative, and the chief executive officer of the local jurisdiction in which the project receiving the allocation is located.

This Act creates the Delaware Wrongful Conviction Compensation and Service Act. The Act provides compensation and reintegration services to individuals who have served sentences of incarceration, wrongful incarceration in a psychiatric institution, parole, probation, and sex offender registration in the State for crimes that they did not commit. An individual claiming wrongful conviction or, if deceased, that individual's heirs, may bring a petition for compensation in Delaware Superior Court. A petitioner who makes the required showing is entitled to damages based on the type and period of wrongful incarceration, probation, parole, or registration, and other amounts, such as reasonable attorney fees in obtaining relief, subject to requirements of proof. However, a petitioner is not entitled to such compensation if the Department of Justice establishes that the petitioner was an accomplice in the commission of the crime or that the petitioner intentionally and voluntarily caused the conviction at issue by committing perjury or fabricating evidence at trial in order to prevent the conviction of the true perpetrator. In addition, an individual released from incarceration as the result of the reversal, overturning, or vacation of a conviction is entitled to emergency assistance and services.

House Substitute No. 2 to House Bill 212 prohibits manufactured home community owners from increasing rent if the rent was increased by 5 percent or more the previous year or rental period, instead permitting an increase capped at 3 percent. This Act does not prohibit a community owner from increasing rent to market rent in phases as called for in current law, even if doing so would otherwise violate the prohibition on increasing rent after a 5 percent or more increase. It also allows a greater increase where more than 50% of the homeowners use the property as a second residence. This Act clarifies that penalties of rent reduction and repayment of excess rent will be imposed for a community owner who increases rent in violation of any provision of Title 25, Chapter 70.

This Act expands eligibility for the investment and employment credit against corporation income tax available under 30 Del. C. § 2011 to the operators of climate-controlled fruit or vegetable growing facilities with at least 400,000 square feet of enclosed space. Eligibility for the expanded tax credit is conditioned on a qualified investment of at least $40 million.