# Delaware HB 134: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ANIMAL CRUELTY.

Delaware HB 134, AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ANIMAL CRUELTY., is a 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) House bill sponsored by Jeffrey N. Spiegelman (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-07-23 (Signed by Governor); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB134-153
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Delaware HB 134
- State: Delaware
- Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026)
- Title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ANIMAL CRUELTY.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-05-06
- Last action: 2026-07-23, Signed by Governor
- Sponsor: Jeffrey N. Spiegelman (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 14
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (61 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Higher fines for breaking animal ownership bans: cost, low. In Delaware, violating an animal-possession ban tied to a misdemeanor cruelty conviction carries a $1,000 fine. Repeat violations of that ban carry a $2,500 fine. Violating a ban tied to a felony cruelty conviction carries a $5,000 fine. Repeat violations of that ban carry a $10,000 fine.
- Repeat animal cruelty brings felony penalties: cost, low. In Delaware, after two misdemeanor animal-cruelty violations, another offense normally treated as a misdemeanor becomes a class F felony. After one felony animal-cruelty violation, another offense normally treated as a felony becomes a class E felony.
- Repeat cruelty convictions extend animal ownership bans: cost, low. A second or later misdemeanor animal-cruelty conviction in Delaware bars animal ownership or possession for 10 years after conviction. That 10-year ban has no exception for animal-related resale businesses. A second felony animal-cruelty conviction bars animal ownership or possession for life.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jeffrey N. Spiegelman (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Frank Burns (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Daniel Cruce (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Daniel B. Short (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Mara Gorman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jeff Hilovsky (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Kyra L. Hoffner (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kimberly Williams (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Josue O Ortega (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Trey Paradee (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Brian Pettyjohn (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Nicole Poore (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Claire Snyder-Hall (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: John "Jack" Walsh (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: David L. Wilson (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-07-01 | Senate | Passed (SM required) | pass | 20 | 0 |   |
| 2026-06-18 | House | Passed (SM required) | pass | 41 | 0 |   |

## Actions (7)

- 2026-07-23: Signed by Governor (Governor)
- 2026-07-01: Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT (Senate)
- 2026-06-24: Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits (Senate)
- 2026-06-18: Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate (Senate)
- 2026-06-18: Passed By House. Votes: 41 YES (House)
- 2026-01-21: Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 7 On Its Merits (House)
- 2025-05-06: Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House (House)

## Bill text

- Current, 2025-05-06: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=142193&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=142193&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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB134-153 (as of 2026-10-19).