# Delaware HB 1: AN ACT TO AMEND THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CREATION OF A DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. Delaware HB 1, AN ACT TO AMEND THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CREATION OF A DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS., is a 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) House bill sponsored by William J. Carson (Democratic); status failed, last action 2025-08-13 (HS 1 for HB 1 - Signed by Governor); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB1-153 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Delaware HB 1 - State: Delaware - Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) - Title: AN ACT TO AMEND THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CREATION OF A DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. - Status: failed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2024-12-19 - Last action: 2025-08-13, HS 1 for HB 1 - Signed by Governor - Sponsor: William J. Carson (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 32 - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Veterans aid fund gets department oversight: benefit, low. The department’s secretary now manages the Delaware Veterans Trust Fund. It provides help with medical and dental care, medical transportation, homelessness, home repairs and safety changes, utilities, and education or retraining. Veterans need at least a general discharge under honorable condition… - Veterans commission staff keep pay and benefits: benefit, low. All current veterans commission employees transfer to the new department on the law’s effective date, 180 days after enactment. Employees who are on staff that day keep their existing salary, seniority, and benefits. - Delaware centralizes veterans services and records: benefit, low. The law creates Delaware’s Department of Veterans Affairs, effective 180 days after enactment. The department takes over the veterans commission’s contracts, property, debts, and other obligations. County recorders must transfer recorded military discharge documents to the department, which maintai… - Delaware plans elder care for veterans: benefit, low. The secretary must work with the veterans commission to develop and propose elder-care plans for aging veterans. Plans can include different types of care or one or more additional veterans homes. This planning requirement does not itself open a home, guarantee care, or provide funding. - Veterans get priority for department jobs: mixed, low. Department supervisors must be veterans, and the secretary must be a veteran qualified by training and experience. An acceptable, equally qualified Delaware resident gets preference for secretary. For nonsupervisory, casual, and seasonal jobs, the department must recruit and hire veterans when poss… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: William J. Carson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Eric Buckson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Frank Burns (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: William Bush (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Richard G. Collins (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Daniel B. Short (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Timothy D. Dukes (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mara Gorman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ronald E. Gray (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Stephanie L. Hansen (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Debra Heffernan (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jeff Hilovsky (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kyra L. Hoffner (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Russell Huxtable (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Larry Lambert (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Dave G. Lawson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Spiros Mantzavinos (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Michael F. Smith (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Stell Parker Selby (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Brian Pettyjohn (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Sophie Phillips (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Marie Pinkney (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Nicole Poore (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Charles S Postles Jr. (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Cyndie Romer (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Melanie Ross Levin (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Bryan W. Shupe (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Claire Snyder-Hall (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jesse R. Vanderwende (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David L. Wilson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Madinah Wilson-Anton (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lyndon D. Yearick (Republican), House ## Actions (13) - 2025-08-13: HS 1 for HB 1 - Signed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-06-26: HS 1 for HB 1 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES (Senate) - 2025-06-10: HS 1 for HB 1 - Reported Out of Committee (Veterans Affairs) in Senate with 9 Favorable (Senate) - 2025-05-21: HS 1 for HB 1 - Re-Assigned to Veterans Affairs Committee in Senate (Senate) - 2025-05-20: HS 1 for HB 1 - Assigned to Executive Committee in Senate (Senate) - 2025-05-20: HS 1 for HB 1 - Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 3 ABSENT (House) - 2025-05-20: HS 1 for HB 1 - - Passed In House by Voice Vote (House) - 2025-05-06: Substituted in House by HS 1 for HB 1 (House) - 2025-04-10: Substituted in House by HS 1 for HB 1 (House) - 2025-01-28: Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House (House) - 2025-01-28: Reported Out of Committee (Veterans Affairs) in House with 18 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits (House) - 2025-01-16: Amendment HA 1 to HB 1 - Introduced and Placed With Bill (House) - 2024-12-19: Introduced and Assigned to Veterans Affairs Committee in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2024-12-19: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=141733&legislationTypeId=1&docTypeId=2) ## Related bills - HS 1 for HB 449: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DIETITIAN/NUTRITIONIST LICENSURE ACT. (passed house) - HB 357: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DUTY TO SUPPORT POOR PERSONS. (signed) - SB 279: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL-BASED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS. (vetoed) - HB 393: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROTECTIONS FOR PUBLIC UTILITY CONSUMERS. (vetoed) - SB 231: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS. (vetoed) - HB 356: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PFAS IN FIREFIGHTING FOAM AND EQUIPMENT. (failed) ## Sources - [Current (HTML)](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=141733&legislationTypeId=1&docTypeId=2) ## Related - [HS 1 for HB 449: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DIETITIAN/NUTRITI…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HS1FORHB449-153) - [HB 357: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DUTY TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB357-153) - [SB 279: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL-BASED OCCUPATI…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB279-153) - [HB 393: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROTECTIONS FOR PUBLI…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB393-153) - [SB 231: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB231-153) - [HB 356: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PFAS IN FIREFIGHTING…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB356-153) - [Delaware bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/delaware/bills) - [Delaware state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/delaware) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB1-153 (as of 2026-10-12).