# Delaware HS 1 for HB 407: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 7 AND 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES CLEANUP ACT AND THE REALTY TRANSFER TAX.

Delaware HS 1 for HB 407, AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 7 AND 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES CLEANUP ACT AND THE REALTY TRANSFER TAX., is a 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) House bill sponsored by Debra Heffernan (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-08-17 (Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HS1FORHB407-153
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Delaware HS 1 for HB 407
- State: Delaware
- Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026)
- Title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 7 AND 30 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES CLEANUP ACT AND THE REALTY TRANSFER TAX.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-06-11
- Last action: 2026-08-17, Signed by Governor
- Sponsor: Debra Heffernan (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 13
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (61 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 6

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Faster state action on toxic emergencies: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, Delaware officials can enter facilities without a court order to address hazardous-substance emergencies. They must have good cause to believe an emergency exists, and their action must be immediately necessary. They no longer need to show that the facility operator cannot o…
- Dedicated funding for contaminated site redevelopment: benefit, low. For years starting January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2036, one-third of Delaware cleanup fund deposits must support the Brownfields Development Program. This reserves money for work on contaminated sites and their redevelopment. It does not create a direct household payment.
- Facility operators gain sample access rights: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, facility owners or operators who ask in advance must receive a portion of an investigation sample. This lets them obtain their own part of the sample collected by state officials. If the sample is analyzed, officials may share the results with the owner or operator; sharing…
- Higher penalties for cleanup-related fraud: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, covered cleanup fraud carries a maximum civil penalty of $40,000 per act, up from $10,000. This applies when a potentially responsible party defrauds the Secretary or another potentially responsible party in a proposed settlement or cleanup-completion application. The fraud…
- Responsible parties face broader cleanup claims: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, Delaware can seek cleanup costs, natural-resource damages, and enforcement in any court authorized to hear the case. Parties liable for cleanup costs can also face claims for the state's cost-recovery expenses, including attorney fees and employee time. The law sets no fixed…
- Petroleum sellers face longer cleanup tax: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the annual adjustment period for the additional petroleum sales tax extends through December 31, 2036. The tax applies to sellers' taxable gross receipts from petroleum or petroleum products. For taxable periods starting in 2019 through 2026, the rate equals 0.9% multiplied…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Debra Heffernan (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Frank Burns (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ronald E. Gray (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Stephanie L. Hansen (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jeff Hilovsky (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Kendra Johnson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Larry Lambert (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Spiros Mantzavinos (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Eric Morrison (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Trey Paradee (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Sophie Phillips (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Ray Seigfried (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Claire Snyder-Hall (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jeffrey N. Spiegelman (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-06-25 | Senate | Passed (SM required) | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2026-06-18 | House | Passed (SM required) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |

## Actions (9)

- 2026-08-17: Signed by Governor (Governor)
- 2026-06-25: Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES (Senate)
- 2026-06-23: Reported Out of Committee (Environment, Energy & Transportation) in Senate with 5 On Its Merits (Senate)
- 2026-06-18: Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in Senate (Senate)
- 2026-06-18: Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 ABSENT (House)
- 2026-06-18: Amendment HA 1 to HS 1 - Passed In House by Voice Vote (House)
- 2026-06-12: Amendment HA 1 to HS 1 - Introduced and Placed With Bill (House)
- 2026-06-12: Assigned to Ready List (House)
- 2026-06-11: Adopted in lieu of the original bill HB 407, and Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House (House)

## Bill text

- Current, 2026-06-11: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=143526&legislationTypeId=6&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=143526&legislationTypeId=6&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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-HS1FORHB407-153 (as of 2026-10-19).