SUMMARY [KEY ITEMS] END OF WEEK LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, Thursday/Friday, June 27 & 28, 2025

This Monday, June 30, is the last remaining day of regular session for First Session of the 153^rd General Assembly

Session Schedule 2025 (First Session)

House Agenda   

Senate Agenda

Scheduled Committee Hearings

Recently Introduced Legislation

Agenda Reports

1. FY 2026 State Operating Budget (HB 225 w/ HA 1) & One-Time Supplemental Appropriations Bill (HB 226) both bills have passed the House and Senate and will be sent to the Governor for action.   
2. Grants-in-Aid: The Joint Finance Committee met on Thursday, June 26 at 12:00 p.m. for the purposes of drafting and voting on appropriations for the FY 2026 Grants-in-Aid Budget bill. They completed votes and drafting for the bill, it will be introduced shortly and considered by the House and Senate on Monday, June 30. 
3. HB 190 w/ HA 1 (Speaker Minor-Brown, establishing a new Grants-in-Aid Subcommittee to the Joint Finance Committee)  HB 195 w/ HA 1 is scheduled for consideration by the Senate Executive Committee on Monday, June 30 at 12:00 p.m. [Hearing Notice]
4. Capital Budget: The Joint Capital Improvement (Bond) Committee met on Tuesday, June 25 and completed votes and drafting for the FY 2026 capital budget, SB 200 which includes appropriations for the Community Redevelopment/Reinvestment Fund.   SB 200 (three-fourths vote) was on the Senate Agenda for Thursday, June 27 and did not receive the required three-fourths vote. Two Republican Senators voted “no”, four went “not voting;” and the Senate Majority Leader, Bryan Townsend cast a “no” vote for parliamentary reasons to allow him to make a motion to rescind the roll call and restore the bill for consideration after agreement is reached. All 10 other Democrats voted “yes.”  The impasse relates to a disagreement regarding legislation which would overturn a Sussex County Council decision to not approve an electric substation relating to a planned offshore wind project. The bill in question is SB 159 (Hansen), which has generated a debate regarding county and local government discretion.   
5. HB 210 w/ HA 1  (Rep. Lambert, Environmental Penalties): HB 210 w/ HA 1is on passed the House on June 17 and was considered by the Senate Environment, Energy, and Transportation Committee on Wednesday, June 25.  The bill was released from committee and placed on the Senate Ready List. House Amendment 1 struck language relating to Nutrient Management (Title 3, Agriculture).  Those provisions, with lesser fines, were introduced in a separate bill (HB 222).  The NCC Chamber is seeking an amendment to this bill that would provide additional discretion to the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control, and to Superior Court where penalties or fines are issued to small businesses, individuals, family farms, counties, and municipalities. 
6. HB 222 (Rep. Lambert, Penalties related to the State Nutrient Management Program) HB 222 passed the House on Wednesday, June 25 and was assigned to the Senate Agriculture Committee.  Whether it will be released for consideration by the Senate on Monday, June 30 remains to be seen.   
7. SB 197 (Sen. Walsh, Project Labor Agreements & Public Works Contracts) SB 197 was introduced on Wednesday, June 25. According to its synopsis, the bill would require that that a contract relating to a public works project executed after December 31, 2026, must include a project labor agreement with the Delaware Building and Construction Trades Council if the project is for a school district or charter school, unless there was only 1 bid for the craft under the contract. A project labor agreement is a type of collective bargaining agreement in the construction industry that is generally negotiated before construction begins. Project labor agreements are intended to provide a legally binding and enforceable contract primarily related to labor conditions and labor-management relations. Status: Assigned to Senate Labor Committee.  
8. HS 2 for HB 105 (Rep. Ross Levin, Salary & Wage Transparency): HS 2 for HB 105 was released from the Senate Labor Committee on June 18 and is currently on the Senate Ready List awaiting consideration. It may be considered on Monday, June 30.
9. HS 1 for HB 128 (Rep. Heffernan, Paid Family & Medical Leave):  HS 1 for HB 128 amending the Paid Family and Medical Leave Program (Chapter 37, Title 19 of the Delaware Code) passed on a  House Consent Agenda D for Tuesday, June 24.  The bill was released from the Senate Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee on Wednesday, June 25. It is now on the Senate Ready List awaiting consideration. It may be considered on Monday, June 30.   
10. SB 72 w/ SA 1 (Sen. Brown, PFAS Reporting and Public Drinking Water Systems): SB 72 w/ SA 1 was released by the House Health & Human Development Committee on June 28 and subsequently relased by the by the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, June 25.  It is now on the House Ready List and may be considered on Monday, June 30. 
11. SB 46 (Sen. Mantzavinos , Autonomous Vehicles): SB 46 was originally scheduled for consideration on the House Agenda for Tuesday, June 24.  It did not come before the House and remains on the House Ready List and may be considered on Monday, June 30.
12. SB 60 w/ SA 2 and HA 1 – PWB (Sen. Hansen, Cap on Capital Expenditure Recovery and Limitations on Use of Certain Funds): SB 60 w/ SA 2 and HA 2 passed the House on Wednesday, June 25. House Amendment 2 (Heffernan) removed the limit on capital expenditures opposed by the NCC Chamber.  
13. HB 175 w/ HA 1 (Rep. Heffernan, DNREC Fee Package): HB 175 w/ HA 1 passed the Senate on June 18 and awaits action by the Governor. 
14. HB 164 w/ HA 1 (Rep. Morrison, DelDOT Fee Package): HB 164 w/ HA 1 passed the Senate on June 18 and awaits action by the Governor. 
15. HS 2 for HB 13 (Rep. Lynn, Personal Income Tax Increase – Additional Brackets): HS 2 for HB 13 was tabled in the House Revenue & Finance Committee. The Chamber testified in opposition to this legislation.  It was also opposed by the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce, the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, and other business organizations.