# Delaware SS 1 for SB 10: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MODIFICATION OF SENTENCES OF INCARCERATION. Delaware SS 1 for SB 10, AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MODIFICATION OF SENTENCES OF INCARCERATION., is a 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) Senate bill sponsored by Bryan Townsend (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-07-14 (Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SS1FORSB10-153 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Delaware SS 1 for SB 10 - State: Delaware - Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) - Title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MODIFICATION OF SENTENCES OF INCARCERATION. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-05-20 - Last action: 2025-07-14, Signed by Governor - Sponsor: Bryan Townsend (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 23 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (62 yes, 19 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More legal help for sentence applicants: benefit, low. Sentence-change applicants have a right to a lawyer and access to needed Department of Correction records. They can hire a lawyer at their own expense or ask for an Office of Defense Services referral. Courts must make requested referrals unless they dismiss the application right away; self-represe… - Regular sentence reviews for Delaware prisoners: benefit, low. The law takes effect 180 days after enactment and shifts sentence-review initiation from the parole board to corrections officials. The Department of Correction must review eligibility and whether to recommend a sentence change at least every 2 years. It needs the person's consent to file; otherwis… - Early release limits preserve sentence review: mixed, low. Courts can restrict early release for Level V sentences of 1 year or less, or sentences equal to the offense's statutory maximum. Restrictions can cover all or part of a sentence and block good time, furlough, work release, or supervised custody. These conditions cannot block the law's sentence-cha… - Medical parole expands with release conditions: mixed, low. Serious medical illness includes cognitive incapacity, permanent physical incapacity, severe illness, or terminal illness with an expected 18-month life expectancy. When corrections officials find medical good cause for release, they must recommend parole review; without a recommendation, prisoners… - More sentence review options for prisoners: mixed, low. People serving combined Level V prison sentences longer than 1 year have new ways to seek sentence changes. They can apply based only on serious medical illness or infirmity. Rehabilitation alone qualifies after 25 years served, or after 15 years for people age 60 or older. These specific pathways… - Program refusal no longer blocks review: mixed, low. Refusing required drug or alcohol treatment, education, or prison work no longer automatically blocks sentence-change applications or medical parole eligibility. Courts can still weigh refusal when deciding whether good cause and rehabilitation support a sentence change. Prison officials retain aut… - Sentence changes require safety checks: mixed, low. Courts can change eligible prisoners' sentences for good cause, including rehabilitation, serious illness, or prison overcrowding. They must review offense facts and find no substantial risk to the community, victims or witnesses, or the applicant. Rehabilitation reviews consider treatment, educati… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Bryan Townsend (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Stephanie T. Bolden (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Franklin D. Cooke (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Daniel Cruce (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mara Gorman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kerri Evelyn Harris (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Debra Heffernan (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kyra L. Hoffner (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kamela T Smith (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Larry Lambert (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: S. Elizabeth Lockman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Melissa Minor-Brown (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: Melanie Ross Levin (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 ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-06-30 | Senate | Passed (SM required) | pass | 19 | 2 | | | 2025-06-26 | House | Passed (SM required) | pass | 28 | 12 | | | 2025-05-22 | Senate | Passed (SM required) | pass | 15 | 5 | | ## Actions (12) - 2025-07-14: Signed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-06-30: Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 NO (Senate) - 2025-06-26: Passed By House. Votes: 28 YES 12 NO 1 VACANT (House) - 2025-06-26: Amendment HA 3 to SS 1 - Passed In House by Voice Vote (House) - 2025-06-26: Amendment HA 2 to SS 1 - Stricken in House (House) - 2025-06-26: Amendment HA 1 to SS 1 - Stricken in House (House) - 2025-06-25: Reported Out of Committee (Appropriations) in House with 1 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits (House) - 2025-06-20: Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House (House) - 2025-06-18: Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 3 On Its Merits (House) - 2025-06-05: Assigned to Administration Committee in House (House) - 2025-05-22: Passed By Senate. Votes: 15 YES 5 NO 1 ABSENT (Senate) - 2025-05-20: was introduced and adopted in lieu of SB 10 (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2025-05-20: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=142344&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=142344&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) - [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-SS1FORSB10-153 (as of 2026-10-12).