# Delaware SB 9: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE PROTECTION OF WETLANDS. Delaware SB 9, AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE PROTECTION OF WETLANDS., is a 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) Senate bill sponsored by Stephanie L. Hansen (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-07-21 (Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SB9-153 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Delaware SB 9 - State: Delaware - Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) - Title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE PROTECTION OF WETLANDS. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-03-31 - Last action: 2026-07-21, Signed by Governor - Sponsor: Stephanie L. Hansen (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 22 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (79 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 14 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Farms and home upkeep get exemptions: benefit, medium. The law exempts ongoing farming on land farmed or showing intent to farm during the prior rolling 10 years. It also exempts Agriculture Department-permitted forestry and conservation practices during an eligible conservation program contract. Hunting, fishing, trapping, duck blinds, wildlife nestin… - Applicants get simpler wetland approval steps: benefit, low. Initial regulations must create a Delaware Wetland Screening Tool to identify wetlands, rate their functions, and oversee professionals using it. Most onsite screening is intended to take less than one day with minimal equipment; Presence/Probable Absence Studies are excepted. Regulations must redu… - Federal permits reduce overlapping state requirements: benefit, low. Activities in nontidal wetlands outside Exceptional Value Wetlands are exempt from state wetlands rules when a federal Nationwide Permit authorizes them. The federal permit must be in effect in Delaware, and any required state water quality certification must be received. A separate exemption remov… - Short wetland walkways avoid state permits: benefit, low. Short wetland walkways are exempt from state wetlands requirements when no federal authorization is needed. They cannot be in Exceptional Value Wetlands. The maximum length is 300 feet in nontidal wetlands or 150 feet in tidal wetlands. - Small wetlands can qualify for exemptions: benefit, low. Nontidal wetlands totaling 0.50 contiguous acres or less can be exempt from further state wetlands regulation. The wetland area can cross property lines; the limit is not separate for each parcel. A department-certified professional must confirm that the wetlands are neither Unique nor high-functio… - Wetland applicants get clearer decision deadlines: benefit, low. The department must tell applicants within 30 days whether an application is complete and identify missing information. Applicants then have 30 days to provide it. Within 120 days of a complete application, the department must approve, deny, or explain an extension with reasons and an expected time… - Public wetland maintenance gets targeted exemptions: benefit, low. Specified work performed by or with government or conservation district assistance is exempt from state wetlands rules. Atlantic Coastal Plain work must be in nontidal wetlands with a contributing drainage area under 800 acres; designated public contractors also qualify. Other exemptions cover nont… - Simpler permits for low-impact wetland projects: benefit, low. The Secretary must create general permits to simplify approval of common or environmentally helpful activities with minimal impacts. Activities considered include voluntary habitat restoration, utility lines, certain pilings, educational signs, public-use structures, and individual-property walkway… - Stakeholders help shape new wetland rules: benefit, low. The law creates a department-supported, 25-member wetlands advisory committee, with its first meeting due by August 1, 2026. Committee-approved initial regulations are due to the Secretary by August 1, 2027. The Secretary must return rules that conflict with state law and issue committee-approved r… - Voluntary tidal habitat restoration gets relief: benefit, low. Qualifying voluntary tidal wetland restoration is exempt from state wetlands rules. Eligible operators are Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, federal agencies, and nonprofits acting for either. A federal Nationwide Permit in effect in Delaware must authorize the w… - Landowners face broader wetland permit rules: cost, medium. The law covers all tidal and nontidal wetlands in Delaware, using accepted federal and regional methods to define them. Activities need a wetlands permit unless an exemption applies. Applicants must prove whether their proposed work is in wetlands. Expanding or extending an existing wetland use als… - Wetland objections and appeals face limits: mixed, low. To require a public hearing, a written objection must arrive within 20 days after a permit application is advertised. The requester must know the application, explain its likely impact, and show a substantial connection to that impact. People whose interests are substantially affected can appeal th… - Small wetland projects get default approvals: mixed, low. A Default General Permit covers qualifying disturbances of no more than 0.50 cumulative acres of nontidal wetlands. The wetlands cannot be Exceptional Value Wetlands. The permit is issued automatically if the department neither approves nor denies a complete application within 120 days. Automatic a… - Stronger wetland protection, tighter development rules: mixed, low. The law requires extra protection for Exceptional Value Wetlands, including limits on activities and protective practices for allowed work. Permit reviews must consider watersheds, nearby land uses, flood risk, and public access. Regulations must track both individual and combined permit impacts. M… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Stephanie L. Hansen (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Alonna Berry (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Stephanie T. Bolden (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Eric Buckson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Frank Burns (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Daniel Cruce (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mara Gorman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Krista Griffith (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Debra Heffernan (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kyra L. Hoffner (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Russell Huxtable (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Larry Lambert (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: S. Elizabeth Lockman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Eric Morrison (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Edward S. Osienski (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sophie Phillips (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Marie Pinkney (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Cyndie Romer (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ray Seigfried (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Claire Snyder-Hall (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: David P. Sokola (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Laura V. Sturgeon (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Bryan Townsend (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-07-01 | Senate | Passed (2/3 required) | pass | 20 | 0 | | | 2026-07-01 | House | Passed (2/3 required) | pass | 39 | 1 | | | 2026-06-10 | Senate | Passed (2/3 required) | pass | 20 | 0 | | ## Actions (16) - 2026-07-21: Signed by Governor (Governor) - 2026-07-01: Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT (Senate) - 2026-07-01: Passed By House. Votes: 39 YES 1 NO 1 ABSENT (House) - 2026-07-01: Amendment HA 1 to SB 9 - Passed In House by Voice Vote (House) - 2026-06-24: Amendment HA 1 to SB 9 - Introduced and Placed With Bill (Senate) - 2026-06-23: Reported Out of Committee (Appropriations) in House with 4 On Its Merits (House) - 2026-06-18: Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House (House) - 2026-06-17: Reported Out of Committee (Natural Resources & Energy) in House with 8 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits (House) - 2026-06-11: Assigned to Natural Resources & Energy Committee in House (House) - 2026-06-10: Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT (Senate) - 2026-06-10: Amendment SA 1 to SB 9 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 18 YES 3 ABSENT (Senate) - 2026-05-20: Reported Out of Committee (Finance) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits (Senate) - 2026-05-07: Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-15: Reported Out of Committee (Environment, Energy & Transportation) in Senate with 7 Favorable (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Amendment SA 1 to SB 9 - Introduced and Placed With Bill (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Introduced and Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-03-31: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=143028&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=143028&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-SB9-153 (as of 2026-10-19).