# Delaware SS 1 for SB 220: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE VILLAGE OF ARDEN. Delaware SS 1 for 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 signed, last action 2026-05-21 (Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DE-SS1FORSB220-153 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Delaware SS 1 for SB 220 - State: Delaware - Session: 153rd General Assembly (2024–2026) - Title: AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE VILLAGE OF ARDEN. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-28 - Last action: 2026-05-21, Signed by Governor - Sponsor: Ray Seigfried (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 1 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (59 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Arden residents approve ground-rent spending budgets: benefit, low. A five-resident Budget Committee prepares an annual budget for Village funds not specifically governed by federal, state, or county law. It also covers ground-rent money whose use requires resident approval. The committee reports the budget at a regular Town Assembly meeting each year. The Assembly… - Arden can contract and share services: benefit, low. The Town Assembly can contract for services, supplies, or work serving a Village purpose. The Chair must sign formal contracts, and a second Village official must witness the signature. Arden can also carry out services and share financing with state, county, and federal governments or agencies. Th… - Arden controls local property taking powers: mixed, medium. The Town Assembly has exclusive authority to acquire property rights within Arden through eminent domain or to end their use. Eminent domain is the government’s power to take property. A Delaware state agency, commission, or department can exercise this power only for a lawful purpose with Assembly… - Arden leaseholders get assessment appeal rights: mixed, low. A Board of Assessors sets the leasehold assessment rate, which affects ground-rent payments. It has seven resident members and one non-voting alternate, serving one-year terms. Assessments use either leased land’s full rental value or the Village’s community standard of living. The Board reports it… - Arden boundaries include two added areas: mixed, low. Arden’s boundaries include the 5.026-acre Sherwood Forest Addition and the 1.6-acre Mill Race Addition. People and property there fall under Village authority, and qualifying residents can participate in Village government. The charter states the Village’s extent as 159.00 acres and exempts the add… - Arden residents govern through direct votes: mixed, low. Arden’s new charter makes the Town Assembly of residents its governing body, with one vote per resident. Voting requires age 18 and six straight months living in Arden immediately before the meeting or referendum. Ordinary business passes by a majority of residents present, with at least 35 residen… - Arden sets rules with capped penalties: mixed, low. Arden can exercise municipal powers allowed by Delaware law and adopt local rules, fines, and penalties within legal limits. The Town Assembly can appoint law enforcement officials, but the charter requires no staffing level or new enforcement program. The Justice of the Peace Court hears charter a… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ray Seigfried (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Larry Lambert (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-21 | House | Passed (2/3 required) | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-01-29 | Senate | Passed (2/3 required) | pass | 21 | 0 | | ## Actions (7) - 2026-05-21: Signed by Governor (Governor) - 2026-04-21: Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 3 ABSENT (House) - 2026-03-25: Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 4 On Its Merits, 1 Unfavorable (House) - 2026-03-05: Assigned to Administration Committee in House (House) - 2026-01-29: Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Adopted in lieu of the original bill SB 220, and Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-01-28: [HTML](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GenerateHtmlDocument?legislationId=142821&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=142821&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-SS1FORSB220-153 (as of 2026-10-19).