Welcome to The Press Room, a weekly roundup of the major stories and happenings of the 2023 Delaware legislative year.
This week’s edition focuses on lawmakers passing legislation to protect animals from abuse, the unprecedented funding for childhood lead exposure and the role U.S. Sen. Tom Carper will have in the president’s reelection campaign.
As always, send story tips, feedback, ideas or gossip to me at mnewman@delawareonline.com.
Follow me on Twitter at @MereNewman.
Bills seek to protect animals from domestic abuse
Three bills have been introduced this session that seek to include animal welfare in the state’s protections against domestic violence.
The legislation is based on research that shows connections between the abuse of animals and domestic violence against family members. Research has shown that 75% of abused women who have a pet have reported a history of that animal being threatened or harmed by an intimate partner.
DOG NAMES:What is the most popular dog name in Delaware?
The package consists of three bills:
- Senate Bill 70: Grants Family Court the ability to grant protection from abuse orders that would grant a person custody of a companion animal and order a person to stay away from this animal. The bill also adds to the definition of abuse for these protection orders, including someone engaging in cruelty or physical injury of a companion or service animal.
- Senate Bill 71: Requires law enforcement, the Department of Justice and the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families to report suspected animal cruelty to the Office of Animal Welfare when they are investigating child welfare cases. It also provides immunity to people who “in good faith” report suspected animal cruelty.
- House Bill 95: Requires Family Court to award possession when dividing marital property after considering the well-being of a pet. The court would need to consider each person’s ability to take care of the animal, the pet’s attachment to each involved party and the effort the people involved spend tending to the animal’s needs. This bill would also require that once a petition for divorce or annulment has been filed, a pet could not be “transferred, concealed, disposed of, or spayed or neutered without the written agreement of both parties.”
SB 71 has passed both chambers, while SB 70 has passed the Senate and HB 95 has passed the House.
In other pet news: Lawmakers recently made rescue dogs the official Delaware state dog for this year.
State confronts ongoing childhood lead poisoning
As Delaware continues to address childhood lead poisoning, a bill was introduced last week to create a public fund to help property owners remediate lead-based paint hazards in homes where children have elevated blood lead levels.
READ THE FULL STORY:Delaware spending $3.8M for water filters in schools statewide after elevated lead levels
My colleague Amanda Fries diligently reported on Delaware’s efforts to confront childhood lead poisoning and exposure after a series of missteps by the state. This bill would also set requirements for remediation and how impacted Delawareans should be affected. The fund will cover the cost of temporary housing for residents.
The state, also last week, announced plans to spend an unprecedented $3.8 million to install water filters in district and charter schools throughout Delaware.
Carper’s role in Joe Biden’s bid for reelection
A Delawarean is helping another Delawarean keep his job for four more years.
U.S. Sen. Tom Carper has been named to President Joe Biden’s national advisory board for his reelection campaign. Biden, likely one of the few people to call Carper “Tommy,” has known the senator for decades.
ELECTION 2024:Wilmington as Biden’s 2024 campaign HQ? Here’s what staffers will find and should expect.
Carper is expected to serve as a “primary surrogate,” which will mean campaigning for the president on his behalf. U.S. Sen. Chris Coons and U.S. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, both of whom are campaign co-chairs, will also play a role in Biden’s bid for reelection.
Other bills to keep an eye on
- Senate Bill 99: This would ban ordinances that require the eviction of a tenant if this person, a member of the tenant’s household or a guest are involved in criminal activity. According to lawmakers, at least six municipalities have an ordinance that would require landlords to initiate eviction proceedings if a tenant (or someone in the home) commits “criminal activity” within a certain distance of their unit. The landlord, under these ordinances, could lose their rental license if they do not. Lawmakers say this language is vague and could hurt victims trying to work with police, among other issues. This bill came as part of the African American Task Force.
- Senate Substitute 1 for SB 72: This bill would allow Delawareans a part of unions to claim a tax deduction for their expenses, up to $500.
- House Bill 138: This would create a “Delaware Educator Apprenticeship Program,” which would place aspiring teachers in paid positions in schools while they complete their necessary training and schooling to become a credentialed teacher in Delaware. Lawmakers view this as a “low-cost pathway” to help address the state’s teacher shortage. This legislation would create a pilot program for the 2023-2024 school year with one higher education institute and one district or charter school.
