An Act To Amend Title 29 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Public Officers And Employees And Financial Disclosures.
Summary
SB163 amends Delaware’s financial disclosure law for public officers in Title 29. The bill keeps the existing disclosure framework in place, including reporting of business interests, professional organizations, income sources, gifts, reimbursements, honoraria, and creditors, but changes the annual filing deadline from March 15 to “on or before the third Wednesday of March.” It also clarifies that the report may be filed up to that deadline, matching current practice of the Public Integrity Commission.
The practical purpose of the bill is administrative: it avoids a statutory deadline falling on weekends or other non-business days, which can create filing and assistance issues for filers and the Commission. The bill does not materially change who must file or what must be disclosed; it mainly adjusts timing and clarifies the filing process for public officers subject to the disclosure requirements.
Impact
The bill amends 29 Del. C. § 5813(c), which governs annual financial disclosure filings by public officers, by replacing the fixed March 15 deadline with a weekday-based deadline tied to the third Wednesday of March. This affects public officers required to file with the Public Integrity Commission, but it does not alter the categories of reportable financial information or the substantive disclosure thresholds. The change is intended to align the statute with existing administrative practice and reduce the chance of deadlines landing on weekends when Commission support may be unavailable.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong bipartisan support and no recorded opposition: the Senate passed the bill 17-0 and the House passed it 40-0. The synopsis indicates the measure was viewed as a practical housekeeping fix rather than a controversial policy change. Overall sentiment appears favorable and procedural, focused on improving clarity and usability of the filing deadline.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention around SB163. The only notable issue identified in the synopsis is the inconvenience created when the statutory March 15 deadline falls on a weekend, which can complicate filing and access to Commission assistance. The bill addresses that concern by moving the deadline to a weekday, and the unanimous votes suggest no significant disagreement among legislators, public officers, or oversight advocates about the change.
An Act To Amend Title 29 Of The Delaware Code Relating To The Delaware Economic & Financial Advisory Council To Be Known As The Dupont-cook Financial Responsibility Act.