Delaware Business Times will recap each week of the 2020 Delaware General Assembly by tracking bills of interest in the state’s business community as they proceed through the legislative process.
A bill is first assigned to either a House of Representatives or Senate committee for hearings on its proposal within 12 days of introduction. After the hearing, the committee may vote to send the bill to the floor of the chamber for a full vote among members. If approved on the House or Senate floor, the bill is sent to the opposite chamber for a committee and floor vote. If approved there, Gov. John Carney will either sign or veto the bill.
Bills will be listed along with their primary sponsor. Committee votes are tracked in three numbers: Favorable, On Its Merits (meaning no opinion but willing to let full chamber weigh in) and Unfavorable. Full chamber votes are tracked in four numbers: Yes, No, Not Voting and Absent. There are 21 members of the Delaware Senate and 41 members of the Delaware House of Representatives.
Assigned to committee:
SB212 (Walsh)
Assigned to the Senate Labor Committee on Feb. 28.
This act removes the ability of an employer to avoid liability for damages if the employer has reasonable grounds for dispute to increase the effective enforcement of wage theft violations. This act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual and revises the section heading to accurately describe the content of the section.
HB285 (Longhurst)
Approved by House in 33-6-0-2 vote on Jan. 30. Assigned to the Senate Health & Social Services Committee on Feb. 28.
This bill requires all public and charter schools which have students in grades 6-12 to provide free feminine hygiene products in 50% of the bathrooms used by students who can have a menstrual cycle. This bill also requires schools to publish on its website and post in its common areas the locations of the bathrooms where the hygiene products are provided. Finally, this bill provides that each school must consult with its school nurse regarding the products to be provided.
HB263 (Bentz)
Approved by House in 40-0-0-1 vote on Jan. 30. Assigned to Senate Health & Social Services Committee on Feb. 28.
This act requires that individual, group, and state employee insurance plans cap the amount an individual must pay for insulin prescriptions at $100 a month and must include at least 1 formulation of insulin on the lowest tier of the drug formulary developed and maintained by the carrier.
Legislature
House and Senate are currently in recess. The Joint Finance Committee is meeting to review the governor’s budget proposal. The state departments and agencies that were reviewed this week included: Department of Health & Human Services
- Administration
- Visually Impaired
- State Service Centers
- Aging & Adults with Physical Disabilities
- Child Support Services
- Health Care Quality
- Public Health
- Social Services
- Medicaid & Medicare Services
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health
- Developmental Disabilities Services
