# Delaware HB 153: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ARREST AND DETENTION.

Delaware HB 153, AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ARREST AND DETENTION., is a 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) House bill sponsored by Mara Gorman (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-07-14 (Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HB153-153
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Delaware HB 153
- State: Delaware
- Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026)
- Title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ARREST AND DETENTION.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-05-01
- Last action: 2025-07-14, Signed by Governor
- Sponsor: Mara Gorman (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 12
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (41 yes, 16 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Delaware bans citizen arrests without legal authority: benefit, low. Delaware bans arrests or detention by anyone without specific authority under a statute, ending citizen’s arrests. Peace officers keep their legal arrest authority. Existing laws still allow limited detention for shoplifting, unlawful recording in theaters, and unlawful acts involving video lottery…
- Private detective custody rules and penalties removed: mixed, low. The law repeals outdated custody rules for people arrested by private detectives. Those rules required custody by the Department of Correction or in a state, county, or municipal facility. It also removes the detective’s $100 to $500 fine for breaking that rule. The repealed penalty included 6 mont…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mara Gorman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Frank Burns (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Daniel Cruce (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Kamela T Smith (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Larry Lambert (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sean M. Lynn (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Eric Morrison (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: DeShanna U Neal (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Josue O Ortega (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sophie Phillips (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Marie Pinkney (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Cyndie Romer (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Claire Snyder-Hall (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-06-30 | Senate | Passed (SM required) | pass | 17 | 4 |   |
| 2025-06-17 | House | Passed (SM required) | pass | 24 | 12 |   |

## Actions (9)

- 2025-07-14: Signed by Governor (Governor)
- 2025-06-30: Passed By Senate. Votes: 17 YES 4 NO (Senate)
- 2025-06-30: Lifted From Table in Senate (Senate)
- 2025-06-25: Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 1 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits (Senate)
- 2025-06-17: Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate (Senate)
- 2025-06-17: Passed By House. Votes: 24 YES 12 NO 5 ABSENT (House)
- 2025-06-17: Amendment HA 1 to HB 153 - Passed In House by Voice Vote (House)
- 2025-05-21: Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 4 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits (House)
- 2025-05-01: Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House (House)

## Bill text

- Current, 2025-05-01: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=142166&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 231: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS. (vetoed)
- 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)
- 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=142166&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 231: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB231-153)
- [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)
- [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-HB153-153 (as of 2026-10-11).