Get Involved: Fight over hospital cost-cutting board headlines a busy week of public meetings

Why Should Delaware Care?
Government works best when its citizens are knowledgeable and engaged. Delaware’s government has scores of commissions, working groups, agencies and legislative committees. All must hold meetings that are open to the public.

With just two weeks left in the legislative session, Delaware lawmakers will meet starting on Tuesday to consider several high-profile bills.

Those include ones to raise taxes on the richest in Delaware, to mandate universal free breakfasts at public schools; to create a new state watchdog tasked with investigating government fraud and abuse; and to limit the state from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. 

Also on Tuesday, the political battle over Delaware’s lofty health care costs will continue with a powerful state budget committee reconvening to reportedly reconsider a funding freeze to the state’s controversial hospital cost-cutting board.  

The budget committee – called the Delaware Joint Finance Committee – is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 12 p.m. at Legislative Hall. 

For information about attending the meeting virtually or in person, click here.

Beyond the high-profile bills, state lawmakers also will consider dozens of consequential but under-the-radar pieces of legislation. 

Below is a list of some of the most impactful pieces of legislation and the times they will be considered.   

• On Tuesday at 2 p.m., the full House of Representatives will convene to hear 13 bills, including ones to prohibit citizens arrests, to provide free breakfasts at public schools, and  to require police to create a record showing the reasons for each and every traffic stop they engage in.
  • The public can watch the proceedings in person from the House gallery at Legislative Hall in Dover or click here for information about how to watch virtually.  
    
• The full Delaware Senate also convenes at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Among the nine bills on its agenda is one that was just introduced last week that would prohibit lenders from reporting unpaid medical debt to credit rating agencies. Gov. Matt Meyer publicly supported the bill during a press conference on Friday.
  • You can view the proceedings in person from the Senate gallery at Legislative Hall in Dove or click here for information about how to watch virtually.  
    
• On Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., the House Appropriations Committee will consider four bills including one that requires state government officials to report to the legislature any requests from federal immigration officials for state data that may pertain to undocumented immigrants living in Delaware. The bill is one of several that seeks to limit the state’s cooperation with federal immigration officials.
  • Click here for information about attending the meeting. 
    
• On Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., the House Judiciary Committee will meet to hear two additional bills to limit federal immigration enforcers. One would prohibit civil arrests from being made in courthouses without a judicial warrant. It is not immediately clear how the bill would be enforced. The other prohibits local police from agreeing to work with federal officials on immigration.
  • Click here for information about attending the meeting.  
    
• On Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., the House Health and Human Development committee will meet to consider nine bills, including one that requires the state Division of Public Health to publicly report online the amount of PFAS chemicals found in public drinking water systems. The bill unanimously passed the Delaware Senate last month.
  • Click here to attend the meeting. 
    
• On Wednesday at 1 p.m., the House Revenue and Finance Committee will consider a bill that would create new tax brackets with higher income tax rates on top earners in the state. It’s the latest of similar pieces of legislation introduced in past years that called on higher taxes on the rich. None of those became law.
  • Click here to attend the meeting. 
    
• On Wednesday at 3 p.m., the House Administration Committee will hear 14 bills, including one that would create an Office of Inspector General to investigate abuse of government resources. Last month, the Delaware Senate unanimously passed the bill, but the fate of the legislation in the House remains unclear. The administration committee will also consider a curious constitutional amendment that would require elected officials to resign from their post before becoming a candidate for another elected seat in the state.  

Housing and development in the counties 

Beyond the state legislature, the councils in Sussex and New Castle counties will consider consequential measures during their meetings this week. For the Sussex County Council, it includes an ordinance to approve a land-use permit for a campground to be used by people who are homeless in the area. The campground is planned for a plot of land off Route 1 near Lewes. 

The Sussex County Council will meet Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Sussex County Administrative Office Building, located at 2 The Circle in Georgetown. For information about attending the council meeting virtually or in person, click here and then scroll to the bottom of the document.

The New Castle County Council also meets Tuesday to consider, among other measures, one that would impose new fees on developers. Last year, Gov. Matt Meyer vetoed a similar bill as one of his last acts as county executive last year.

The meeting of the New Castle County Council’s Land Use Committee is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page for information about attending.