Delaware Bill Book

The bill would let many employers avoid paying penalties for not following the state family leave insurance rules until 2027.

Workers could lose protection because employers may ignore leave rules without fear of fines, making it harder to enforce their rights while the bill moves forward.

Big Business

• Accountability (hurts) — penalties reduced. Employer civil penalties lowered or delayed
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — employee rights weakened. Less enforcement of family leave protections
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — cost shifts to workers. Reduced penalties mean workers may bear enforcement costs
• Process Transparency (neutral) — no major change. Procedural steps remain similar
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — funding reduced. Fewer penalty funds for the leave program

• Official text (DE HB181)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142556
• LegiScan — HB181https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB181/2025

This bill would give big tax breaks to electricity companies, which could shift costs to everyday people.

If this bill passes, electricity companies will get big tax credits. This could mean higher costs for regular people who pay for electricity. It's important to speak up now.

Big Business

• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Tax credits may shift costs to consumers.. The tax credits for electricity producers could lead to higher electricity prices for everyday people.
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No direct protections for consumers.. The bill focuses on benefits for electricity companies, not protections for consumers.

• Official text (DE HB186)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142401
• LegiScan — HB186https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB186/2025

The bill would let production companies claim a 30% tax credit on in‑state spending, lowering their taxes and shifting that cost to Delaware taxpayers.

The credit could attract movies and video‑game projects to Delaware, creating jobs and local spending, but it also means less tax money for schools and roads, so voters should watch the debate.

Entertainment production companies

• Accountability (helps) — Transfer approvals require Division of Small Business review. Adds oversight for credit sales and transfers
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No direct impact on individual rights. Neutral for personal legal protections
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Tax credit reduces state revenue, shifting cost to taxpayers. Everyday residents pay less in services
• Process Transparency (helps) — Credit transfers must be registered and approved. Clear reporting to multiple state agencies
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — Tax credit diverts money from general fund. Reduces available revenue for public programs

Pushing for it: Industry
Bearing the cost: Taxpayers

• Official text (DE HB364)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143056
• LegiScan — HB364https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB364/2025

Short‑term rental platforms would have to collect and send local taxes, and renters would see tax refunds if bookings are cancelled.

The bill could push platforms to add tax costs to rentals, raising prices for travelers, while giving the state more money for tourism and beaches.

Government Power

• Accountability (helps) — Platforms must collect and remit tax, improving oversight. Ensures tax is tracked and paid
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No change to renters' right to sue. No new restrictions on consumer rights
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Tax may be added to rental price. Costs could be passed to guests
• Process Transparency (helps) — Mandates monthly reporting. Data on rentals must be filed
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — Tax revenue split to state and tourism. Allocates funds to various agencies

• Official text (DE HB474)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143566
• LegiScan — HB474https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB474/2025

This bill would let schools raise taxes less after property value changes, which could hurt their funding.

If this bill passes, schools might struggle to get enough money for important programs. It's crucial for parents and teachers to speak up now.

Big Business

• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Schools may face funding cuts.. Limiting tax increases could lead to less money for schools.
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Schools have less ability to respond to funding needs.. The bill restricts how much schools can raise taxes.

• Official text (DE HB246)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143012
• LegiScan — HB246https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB246/2025

The DMV must double‑check certain automatic voter registrations and may remove those who fail eligibility, after notifying the voter.

Citizens could lose their voting record if their old driver’s license doesn’t meet new checks, so they should watch for notices and be ready to prove eligibility now while the bill is still being debated.

Government Power

• Accountability (helps) — Adds oversight of voter rolls. Mandates audit and public reporting by DMV and Elections Dept.
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Can remove voter registrations. Allows removal of registrations that fail eligibility checks.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — State agencies handle verification. No direct cost to individuals, but state resources are used.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Requires public report. Audit findings must be published and sent to legislative leaders.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No new funding specified. Bill does not create new spending or revenue.

• Official text (DE HB317)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143533
• LegiScan — HB317https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB317/2025

This bill would change property tax bills for the 2025-2026 year, possibly lowering what you owe.

If this bill passes, it may help people save money on their property taxes. It's important to pay attention to how it changes things.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — Changes in tax bills must be communicated clearly.. Counties must reissue tax bills, ensuring transparency.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Taxpayers may benefit from lower bills.. Using previously assessed values could lower taxes.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — Tax changes affect local school funding.. School districts can borrow funds if needed.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Clear deadlines for tax payments are set.. Taxpayers will know when to pay and avoid penalties.

• Official text (DE HB249)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142685
• LegiScan — HB249https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB249/2025

This bill would change how companies handle your personal data and what rights you have to it.

This is a chance for people to protect their personal information better. If this bill passes, it could help you know who is using your data and how.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — Some protections are added for consumers.. Consumers can access their data and know how it is used.
• Rights & Protections (hurts) — Exemptions limit the bill's effectiveness.. Many businesses, like banks, are not covered by this bill.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — Costs may shift to consumers indirectly.. If companies face more rules, they might raise prices.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — The bill does not clarify all processes.. It lacks details on how companies must report data usage.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — Unknown funding impacts.. The bill does not specify funding sources.

• Official text (DE HB380)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143105
• LegiScan — HB380https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB380/2025

The state would tell a bar council to look at how much lawyers get paid in shareholder lawsuits and suggest ways to limit fees.

Citizens should watch this bill because if the council recommends fee caps, future rules could keep corporate lawsuits from costing too much, protecting investors and keeping companies competitive.

Corporations

• Accountability (helps) — Requests oversight of attorney fee practices. Positive impact by seeking review
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No direct change to people's right to sue. Neutral
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — No funding or cost shift mentioned. Neutral
• Process Transparency (helps) — Report must be sent to Senate leaders, House leaders, and the Governor. Improves transparency
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No money allocation specified. Neutral

• Official text (DE SCR17)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=141858
• LegiScan — SCR17https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/SCR17/2025

The bill would let Delaware families claim a tax credit equal to the full federal child care credit, cutting their state tax bill.

Families could save hundreds on taxes, making child care more affordable, while the state would lose revenue that might affect other services.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — no change. N/A
• Rights & Protections (helps) — expands tax credit. increases credit from 50% to 100%
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — reduces state revenue. cost of credit borne by state
• Process Transparency (neutral) — standard process. N/A
• Funding Tilt (hurts) — potential revenue loss. no dedicated funding

• Official text (DE HB274)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142893
• LegiScan — HB274https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB274/2025

This bill would let more Delaware seniors get a property tax credit by shortening how long they must live in the state, saving them money.

This bill is a good thing for seniors in Delaware. Right now, you have to live in the state for 10 years to get a special property tax credit if you moved there after 2017. This bill would change that back to 3 years for everyone after 2025. This means more seniors could get a break on their property taxes sooner. Some might worry about how this affects the state's budget or if it's fair to those who waited the full 10 years. But for many seniors, this would make it easier to afford to stay in their homes. Since it's just introduced, now is the time to tell your lawmakers if you think this is a good idea.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — Neutral impact. The bill does not directly affect government accountability or transparency beyond standard legislative process.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Expands access to benefit. The bill would make it easier for more seniors to qualify for a property tax credit, expanding access to a financial benefit.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Benefits seniors. The cost of the tax credit would be borne by the school districts through reduced tax collections, directly benefiting eligible seniors by lowering their property tax burden.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Standard process. The bill is following the normal legislative process and does not show signs of being rushed or hidden.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Favors seniors. The bill would shift some tax burden away from seniors and onto the general tax base (or reduce government revenue), favoring seniors.

Pushing for it: Seniors in Delaware
Bearing the cost: Delaware school districts (through reduced tax collections)

• Official text (DE HB72)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=141932
• LegiScan — HB72https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB72/2025

This bill would let Delaware tipped workers pay less tax on their tips, helping them keep more money for their families.

This bill would help people who work for tips, like those in restaurants or salons, by letting them subtract some of their tip money from their state taxes. This could mean more money in their pockets to help with rising costs. The bill aims to support these important workers and the businesses they work for. Some people might worry about how this affects the state's money for other services. But supporters believe it's a fair way to help a key part of our workforce. This is a chance to speak up if you want to see tipped workers keep more of their earnings.

Everyday People

• Accountability (neutral) — Neutral. This bill does not directly address accountability for businesses or government.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Helps people. This bill would help protect the financial well-being of tipped workers by reducing their state income tax burden.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Benefits individuals. The state's general fund would see reduced tax revenue, but the financial benefit goes directly to individual tipped workers.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Neutral. The bill has moved through committee and had an amendment introduced, showing a standard legislative process.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Tilts towards individuals. The bill would shift money from the state's tax revenue to individual tipped workers, allowing them to keep more of their earnings.

Pushing for it: Delaware tipped workers (Up to $15,000 per year)
Bearing the cost: Delaware state revenue

• Official text (DE HB386)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143575
• LegiScan — HB386https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB386/2025

This bill would let people report sexual crimes without getting in trouble for minor drug or alcohol use, so more victims and witnesses might speak up.

This bill would make it safer for people to report sexual offenses. If you are a victim or a witness, you might be afraid to tell the police if you were also doing something small like drinking alcohol underage or having a small amount of drugs. This bill would stop you from getting into trouble for those minor things if you are reporting a sexual offense. This could help more serious crimes get reported and help victims get help. It is important to support this bill now while it waits to become law.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Encourages reporting of serious crimes.. By granting immunity for minor offenses, the bill aims to increase reports of sexual offenses, holding offenders more accountable.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Protects victims and witnesses who report sexual offenses.. People reporting sexual offenses would be protected from prosecution for minor drug or alcohol offenses, encouraging them to come forward.
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — Benefits society by encouraging crime reporting.. There is no direct cost shift to ordinary people. The benefit is increased public safety and justice from more reported sexual offenses.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No direct impact on transparency.. The bill focuses on immunity for reporting, not on how government processes are made more open.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No funding changes mentioned.. The bill text does not mention any specific funding or financial appropriations.

Pushing for it: Victims and witnesses of sexual offenses
Bearing the cost: People who commit sexual offenses

• Official text (DE HB265)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142748
• LegiScan — HB265https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB265/2025

This bill would make the state collect and share facts about who uses childcare help and how money is spent, so the program can work better for families.

This bill is good because it would make the state gather important facts about how its childcare help program works. This means leaders would have a clearer picture of who gets help, how much money is used, and if the program needs changes to serve more families better. Getting this information out in the open helps everyone understand if the program is fair and effective. People who care about making sure families can afford childcare and parents can work should support getting these reports done.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Increases state accountability for a key program.. Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) is directed to provide a report on or before December 1, 2025, March 1, 2026, and June 1, 2026, on Delaware POC that details the number of individual children served each month, total amount of money spent, and what portion of the funds came from state, federal, or one-time stimulus sources, parent co-pays, and any other sources.
• Rights & Protections (neutral) — No direct impact on individual rights.. The bill focuses on data collection for an existing program, not on creating or removing rights.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — No new costs are shifted to individuals.. The bill directs a state department to prepare reports on an existing program's funding and utilization, not to shift costs to individuals.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Reports will be made public for everyone to see.. The reports shall be made public on a state website within one week of the published date.
• Funding Tilt (helps) — Aims to ensure proper funding for a program helping low-income families.. Having accurate data is integral to determining appropriate funding for the POC program as well assisting in formulating policy to expertly build and expand the program.

Pushing for it: Low-income families needing childcare
Bearing the cost: No specific group

• Official text (DE HR14)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142420
• LegiScan — HR14https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HR14/2025

Health insurers in Delaware must pay for recommended vaccines and preventive care with no extra charges for you.

This bill protects families by removing out-of-pocket costs for essential shots and screenings, so they can stay healthy without surprise bills, and it pushes insurers to follow national health guidelines.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — adds clear coverage rules. Insurers must follow USPSTF and CDC recommendations
• Rights & Protections (helps) — expands consumer rights. No cost‑sharing for covered vaccines and preventive services
• Who Bears the Cost (helps) — shifts cost to insurers. Consumers avoid out‑of‑pocket payments
• Process Transparency (neutral) — neutral. Bill text is straightforward
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — no new funding required. Costs covered by insurers

• Official text (DE HB338)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143040
• LegiScan — HB338https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB338/2025

The bill would let anyone abused as a child file a civil lawsuit at any time, even if years have passed.

Victims could finally get justice and compensation, but the state may face more lawsuits and costs, so lawmakers should weigh the impact now.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Increases ability to hold abusers accountable. Allows lawsuits at any time
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Expands victims' legal rights. Removes limitation period
• Who Bears the Cost (hurts) — Potential cost shift to state and taxpayers. More lawsuits may cost public funds
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No new procedural hurdles. Standard civil filing
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No specific funding changes. No new appropriations listed

• Official text (DE HB75)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=141915
• LegiScan — HB75https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB75/2025

This bill would add a new right to privacy to Delaware's constitution, making it harder for the government to snoop into your personal life and choices.

This bill would make sure that your personal privacy is protected by the state's main rulebook, the Delaware Constitution. It would mean the government cannot mess with your private life unless it has a really, really good reason. This is important because it would give people more control over their own choices and information, even if federal protections change. Some might say current laws are enough, but this bill aims to make sure these rights are clear and strong in Delaware.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Increases government accountability. The bill would make it harder for the state government to infringe on individual privacy without a compelling reason, holding it to a higher standard.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Adds a new right. It would add a specific right to individual privacy to the Delaware Constitution, strengthening protections for citizens.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — No direct cost shift. The bill does not directly shift costs onto ordinary people or specific groups, as it establishes a right.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Standard constitutional amendment process. The bill follows the established, multi-step process for amending the state constitution, which is inherently transparent but also lengthy.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No funding mentioned. The bill does not propose or allocate any specific funding.

Pushing for it: Delaware citizens (in terms of protected rights)
Bearing the cost: Delaware state government (in terms of limiting its power)

• Official text (DE HB14)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=141814
• LegiScan — HB14https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB14/2025

This bill would stop the state from using the death penalty, meaning no one could be put to death for a crime.

This bill is a big step for Delaware. It would change the state's main rulebook, the Constitution, to say that the death penalty can never be used. This means the state would no longer have the power to take a person's life as punishment. Many people believe this is a more fair and humane way to handle serious crimes. For this change to become permanent, it needs to pass again after the next election. So, there is still time for people to share their thoughts on this important decision.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — State power reduced. This bill would remove the state's power to impose the death penalty, increasing accountability for the state to protect human life.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Protects right to life. It directly protects the fundamental right to life by prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — No direct cost shift. The bill does not directly shift costs to ordinary people, though ending the death penalty could save the state money in legal fees.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — Standard constitutional process. Amending the constitution requires a specific, multi-step process, including votes in two separate legislative sessions, which ensures transparency.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — Not applicable. This bill does not involve specific funding or financial allocations that would tilt towards or against any group.

Pushing for it: Delaware citizens, especially those accused of serious crimes, and potentially the state through reduced legal costs.
Bearing the cost: No specific group is financially harmed by this bill.

• Official text (DE HB35)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142530
• LegiScan — HB35https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB35/2025

This bill would make it harder for others to get your private information from the DMV, like your social security number, keeping your data safer.

This bill would make it harder for the DMV to share your private information, like your social security number or citizenship status, with others. It also stops businesses from getting your data for market research. This means your personal details would be safer from being used without your clear permission. Some might say that sharing certain data helps businesses work better or for public safety reasons. But this bill focuses on keeping your private information truly private, which is important for everyone. It is still moving through the legislature, so now is the time to let your lawmakers know if you want your data protected.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Increases DMV accountability for data protection.. The bill would make the Division of Motor Vehicles more accountable for protecting sensitive personal information like social security numbers and citizenship status.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Strengthens individual privacy rights.. This bill would strengthen your right to privacy by limiting who can access your motor vehicle records and what information can be shared.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — No direct cost shift to ordinary people.. The bill does not appear to shift direct financial costs onto ordinary people.
• Process Transparency (neutral) — No change to transparency.. The bill focuses on data privacy rules, not on how transparent the legislative or administrative processes are.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No funding mentioned.. The bill does not mention specific funding or financial allocations.

Pushing for it: Delaware citizens' privacy
Bearing the cost: Entities seeking broad access to DMV data

• Official text (DE HB60)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=141897
• LegiScan — HB60https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB60/2025

This bill would stop schools from sharing student records with immigration agents without a judge's order or state permission, protecting kids' privacy.

This bill would help keep kids' school information private. It would make it harder for immigration agents to get student records from schools or the state education office. This is good because it protects students, especially those from immigrant families, from having their personal school details shared without a very good reason or a judge's order. Some might say it makes it harder for law enforcement to do their job. But if you care about keeping student information safe, you should pay attention to this bill while it is still being decided.

Everyday People

• Accountability (helps) — Increases accountability for schools and the Department of Education.. Schools and the Department of Education must get permission from the Attorney General to share student records with immigration agents, and can be sued if they do not.
• Rights & Protections (helps) — Strengthens student privacy rights.. The bill would protect student records from being shared with immigration enforcement without specific authorization or a judicial warrant, giving students and guardians the right to sue for violations.
• Who Bears the Cost (neutral) — No direct cost shift to ordinary people.. The bill does not directly shift costs onto ordinary people. Potential costs for schools would be from legal fees if they violate the rules.
• Process Transparency (helps) — Requires clear, detailed process for data sharing.. Any request to share student records with immigration enforcement must be in writing, provide 72 hours notice, state the reason, and give a detailed description of the request's purpose and scope.
• Funding Tilt (neutral) — No funding changes mentioned.. The bill text does not mention any specific funding changes or appropriations.

Pushing for it: Students or guardians who sue for improper disclosure
Bearing the cost: Schools or the Department of Education if they improperly disclose records

• Official text (DE HB95)https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142019
• LegiScan — HB95https://legiscan.com/DE/bill/HB95/2025