# Delaware SB 220: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE VILLAGE OF ARDEN. Delaware SB 220, AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE VILLAGE OF ARDEN., is a 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) Senate bill sponsored by Ray Seigfried (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-05-21 (SS 1 for SB 220 - Signed by Governor); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB220-153 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Delaware SB 220 - State: Delaware - Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) - Title: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE VILLAGE OF ARDEN. - Status: failed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-08 - Last action: 2026-05-21, SS 1 for SB 220 - Signed by Governor - Sponsor: Ray Seigfried (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 1 - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Arden can contract and share costs: benefit, low. The Town Assembly can contract for Village services, supplies and work serving a municipal purpose. Each formal contract needs the Chair’s signature and a second Village official as witness. Arden can also work jointly and share financing with other governments, including New Castle County, other s… - Arden gets a new municipal charter: benefit, low. The law replaces Arden’s prior charter and establishes its powers as a municipal corporation. The Village can hold and sell property, and the Town Assembly can set procedures where the charter leaves gaps. Its roughly 159-acre boundary includes the 5.026-acre Sherwood Forest addition, purchased Feb… - Arden residents can review Village records: benefit, low. The Town Assembly must compile Village laws, policies and rules and make copies available for public review. The Secretary must record new enactments and changes and keep copies available. Residents, Trustees and leaseholders can also inspect Village books, records and journals for legitimate infor… - Arden residents vote on Village spending: benefit, low. A five-resident Budget Committee prepares the annual budget, including spending of ground-rent money and other funds not governed by higher law. The Town Assembly can amend the proposal, but the final budget needs Assembly approval and a Village referendum. If the referendum fails, the prior year’s… - Arden can require property transfers: cost, low. The Town Assembly has exclusive authority to acquire property interests within Village limits through eminent domain, meaning a forced transfer. That authority serves municipal purposes. The Assembly can also consent to a Delaware agency using eminent domain for a lawful purpose, but need not conse… - Arden leaseholders can challenge assessment rates: mixed, low. A Board of Assessors sets the assessment rate affecting leaseholders’ ground-rent costs, considering rental value or the Village’s community standard of living. Its seven members and one non-voting alternate serve one-year terms; the Board also considers differences among leaseholds. It must hold a… - Arden can enforce rules with penalties: mixed, low. The Town Assembly can make local rules on government, public order, health, safety and property, and appoint enforcement officials. Ordinance changes generally require written submission and readings at two consecutive meetings before a vote, with limited exceptions. Violations can bring fines and… - Arden residents govern through direct votes: mixed, low. The Town Assembly holds Arden’s governing powers, and each eligible resident attending a meeting gets one vote. Voting requires age 18 or older and six consecutive months of Village residence immediately before the meeting or referendum. Regular meetings fall on the fourth Monday of January, March,… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ray Seigfried (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Larry Lambert (Democratic), House ## Actions (9) - 2026-05-21: SS 1 for SB 220 - Signed by Governor (Governor) - 2026-04-21: SS 1 for SB 220 - Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 3 ABSENT (House) - 2026-03-25: SS 1 for SB 220 - Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 4 On Its Merits, 1 Unfavorable (House) - 2026-03-05: SS 1 for SB 220 - Assigned to Administration Committee in House (House) - 2026-01-29: SS 1 for SB 220 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES (Senate) - 2026-01-29: SS 1 for SB 220 - Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Substituted in Senate by SS 1 for SB 220 (Senate) - 2026-01-20: Amendment SA 1 to SB 220 - Introduced and Placed With Bill (Senate) - 2026-01-08: Introduced and Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-01-08: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=142750&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=142750&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-SB220-153 (as of 2026-10-12).