Why Should Delaware Care?
Lawmakers spent months passing bills during the first half of 2025. Dozens are now sitting on the governor’s desk unsigned. And for most, Gov. Matt Meyer has given little indication about whether he would sign them into law.
Almost two weeks after the end of Delaware’s 2025 legislative session, several notable bills still sit on Gov. Matt Meyer’s desk awaiting his consideration, including one that would override local land-use rules for marijuana shops, and another that would prohibit Delaware police from partnering with federal immigration authorities.
During a press conference this week, Meyer offered comments on a few of the bills, including the marijuana zoning legislation, Senate Bill 75.
Meyer, who was a two-term New Castle County executive before being elected governor, said he is seeking a balance between maintaining local government control while also fulfilling the state’s desire to legalize recreational marijuana. It is now scheduled to begin public sales on Aug. 1.
“We believe strongly in local government control,” Meyer said. “I have been very clear that we have recreational marijuana that’s taken too long to get off the ground. So those are two priorities we’re going to look at and make a decision.”
Meyer added that it is possible the bill could go into law without his signature. Once his office obtains the bill from the General Assembly — which has yet to occur — it starts a 10-business-day countdown. If he does not sign or veto it in that time, it would become law without his intervention.
That is the process that his predecessor, Gov. John Carney, took in legalizing recreational marijuana two years ago.
Should Meyer veto the measure, legislative Democrats could attempt to override it, but it would require virtually the entire caucus to do so. Overrides require a three-fifths vote, equating to 25 in the House and 13 in the Senate, leaving a one-seat margin in the House and two in the Senate for Democrats, assuming Republicans vote as a bloc.
Meyer similarly gave no clear sign about whether he would sign Senate Bill 12, dubbed the Delaware Pre-Authorization Reform Act of 2025. The bill seeks to shorten the amount of time it takes to get insurance company approvals for medical procedures.
When asked whether he would sign it into law, Meyer said, “it’s under review.”
“We’re talking to stakeholders on both sides of the issue,” he said at the press conference.
The governor also said he’s speaking with stakeholders about Senate Bill 63, which would prohibit businesses from improperly classifying employees as independent contractors.
One other bill, which Meyer endorsed during his State of the State address earlier this year, did receive a positive response during the press conference. Senate Bill 4 would create a new state Office of Inspector General tasked with investigating government fraud and mismanagement. When asked about the unsigned piece of legislation, Meyer expressed his continued support, signaling that a bill signing ceremony is likely in the offing.
“This state needs an independent Inspector General who will uncover fraud and inefficiencies, return money to the taxpayers, and give all of us confidence that there is real accountability in government,” Meyer said at the State of the State.
In all, Meyer has not yet signed about 75 bills that the Delaware House and Senate passed during the 2025 legislative session. Many are technical changes or largely ceremonial, but some additional noteworthy unsigned bills include:
- House Bill 182, which bars state law-enforcement agencies from entering into agreements with federal immigration enforcement authorities;
- House Bill 187, which allows wine producers to ship wine directly to Delaware consumers;
- House Bill 205, which protects Delaware medical providers from out-of-state lawsuits;
- House Bill 210, which increases penalties on commercial polluters; and
- Senate Bill 176, which would allow Sussex county to apply impact fees to building permits in order to collect funding for school construction projects,
Following the press conference, Meyer’s office has declined to say which of the pending bills the governor intends to sign into law.
Maggie Reynolds is a Report for America corps member and Spotlight Delaware reporter who covers rural communities in Delaware. Your donation to match our Report for America grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://spotlightdelaware.org/support/.
