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. Below we highlight a few of those meetings that are happening this week.
Below are some of the most important or interesting public meetings happening around the state this week.
- General Assembly marks last full week
- Grant-In-Aid to be determined
- Capital budget to be marked up
- PSC to start new Delmarva rate case
- White Clay Creek Park to host info session
State Legislature marks last full week
The Delaware General Assembly will meet on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week, where they will have to complete the bulk of their annual work – and there remain a number of high-profile bills to be considered in the final days.
Those bills include must-haves like the annual state budgets as well as a variety of priorities from Senate and House leadership, ranging from healthcare reform to voting rights, energy costs to reassessment reform.
On Tuesday, lawmakers will vote on major bills like Senate Bill 23, which would relax permitting requirements for affordable housing but has proven controversial with municipalities, and Senate Bill 13, which would increase the number of eligible patients for free and reduced healthcare. A number of bills related to data centers and energy costs will be heard in committee on Tuesday too.
On Wednesday, laws around the future of hemp-derived THC products, a constitutional amendment on hunting and fishing rights, and a number of reassessment-related bills will be heard in committees.
The voting agenda for Thursday has not been set yet, but lawmakers will also meet in committee where they will discuss the the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, among other bills.
The final day of the legislature is Tuesday, June 30, and any bill not passed by then will have to restart the legislative process next year.
📍 The General Assembly is set convene beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday inside Legislative Hall, located at 411 Legislative Ave. in Dover. For more details, including information about virtual attendance, click here and scroll through the “What’s Happening” tab.
Grant-In-Aid to be determined
Each year, the state legislature pays nonprofits around the state to outsource work in a variety of needs, including fire companies, social services, arts organizations, neighborhood programs, and more.
The decisions around the so-called “Grant-In-Aid” bill can mean the difference between expansion and closure for some of the smallest nonprofits. Which organizations get funded and to what degree is a process that will only grow more cloudy this year following questions around prior appropriations to organizations bedeviled by money issues, including the PAL of Delaware.
📍 The Joint Finance Committee will meet at 11 a.m. Thursday to discuss the “Grant-In-Aid” bill. The committee will meet in the JFC Hearing Room downstairs at Legislative Hall, located at 411 Legislative Ave. in Dover. For remote viewing, click here.
Capital budget markup this week
The Bond Bill Committee will meet Tuesday this week to decide on final priorities for bond funding this year.
The state government issues debt annually on the bond market in order to pay for capital projects, one-time purchases and more.
Gov. Matt Meyer proposed a $656 million capital budget for non-transportation-related projects – they are funded from taxes and fees paid by drivers – which included $60 million for a new state medical examiner site, $73 million for a new Appoquinimink school and millions to the state’s universities for renovations and repairs.
📍 The Joint Capital Committee will meet at 10 a.m. Tuesday to discuss the capital improvement bill. The committee will meet in the JFC Hearing Room downstairs at Legislative Hall, located at 411 Legislative Ave. in Dover. For remote viewing, click here.
Public Service Commission opens Delmarva rate case
Delaware’s energy market regulator will formally open the docket for Delmarva Power’s latest request for additional funding.
If approved by the PSC, the energy distributor will be allowed to temporarily raise rates on customers while it argues for making the rates permanent.
It is the third rate hike request filed by Delaware’s largest energy provider in five years, drawing criticism from the state’s Public Advocates and legislative leaders. The new request also seeks to raise the maximum profit the regulated utility could earn by about $9.4 million.
If the proposal is approved, a residential customer using an average of 810 kilowatt hours per month would see a bill increase of $6.42, or 4.13%, from $155.37 to $161.79, according to Delmarva.
📍 The Public Service Commission will meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the first floor hearing room of the Cannon Building, located at 861 Silver Lake Blvd. in Dover. For remote viewing info, click here.
White Clay Creek hosts open house
The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation is hosting a community open house for projects at White Clay Creek State Park.
The open house is an opportunity for division staff to share information about the park and allow the public to provide feedback. The open house features a series of informational boards highlighting existing park features, upcoming capital projects, and future planned efforts to improve the amenities and services provided to park visitors.
Projects include Big Pond restoration, White Clay Creek Nature Center, trail projects, office location and overnight rentals.
📍 DNREC will host the open house from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at Deerfield Golf Club, located at 507 Thompson Station Road in Newark.
