Title 29, State Government

§ 606. Interpreting of significant State events for the hearing impaired. The General Assembly, finding that the hearing impaired are an important but often neglected portion of Delaware’s citizenry, hereby requests that significant State events be interpreted for the hearing imp…

§ 607. Use of automated answering systems by state agencies, limitations. All state agencies shall require that the publicly listed telephone number or numbers for that agency be answered by a person who can direct each call to the proper person or department within that agency d…

§ 608. Use of respectful language when referring to persons with disabilities. (a) The General Assembly recognizes that language used in reference to individuals with disabilities shapes and reflects society’s attitudes toward people with disabilities. Many of the terms currently…

§ 609. Lead paint on outdoor structures. All provisions of this title must comply with Chapter 30M of Title 16.81 Del. Laws, c. 396, § 8;

§ 610. Prohibiting the denial of an application for a license solely on immigration or citizenship status. (a) The General Assembly hereby finds and declares all of the following: (1) It is in the best interests of this State to make full use of the skills and talents of every re…

§ 611. Healthcare records. Notwithstanding any law or court rule to the contrary and except as required by federal law, no officer or employee of a state or local agency, commission, board, or department, including any “law-enforcement officer” as defined in § 222 of Title 11, ma…

§ 612. Data center nondisclosure agreements. (a) For purposes of this section: (1) “Data center” means a facility consisting of 1 or more buildings that has a primary purpose of providing for the storage, management, processing, or transmission of digital data, and that contains …

§ 701. Designation of meetings of General Assembly. (a) (1) The meetings of the General Assembly are to be designated by numbers with a new consecutive number designated every 2 calendar years. The General Assembly sitting in 1961 and 1962 is to be designated as the 121st General…

§ 702. Oaths of office. An oath of office may be administered by any of the following: (1) A member of a House of the General Assembly to any other member of the same House. (2) The President or President Pro Tempore of the Senate to the Secretary of the Senate and other officers…

§ 703. Delivery of election certificates. (a) The Senate may compel the delivery of the certificate of election of Governor or Lieutenant Governor or of the election of any of its members and, for that purpose, may order and cause the arrest of any officer presiding at a board of…

§ 704. Powers respecting elections and election contests. (a) (1) The Senate may compel the delivery of ballot boxes to the Senate and, for that purpose, may order and cause the arrest of the sheriff or other person having custody of the ballot boxes and punish as a contempt the …

§ 705. Power of subpoena; administration of oaths or affirmations; penalties for noncompliance. (a) Whenever it is necessary in connection with any of the powers and duties of the General Assembly of the State, the Senate or the House of Representatives may, by issuing subpoenas …

§ 706. Notice of petition for private act [Repealed].Code 1852, §§ 476, 477; Code 1915, § 361; Code 1935, § 332; 29 Del. C. 1953, § 706; repealed by 83 Del. Laws, c. 458, § 6, effective Oct. 14, 2022.;

§ 707. Stationery. The Division of Legislative Services shall provide stationery for the use of the General Assembly and its members.24 Del. Laws, c. 88, §§ 1-3; Code 1915, § 364; 36 Del. Laws, c. 73, § 8; Code 1935, §§ 253, 335; 29 Del. C. 1953, § 707; 51 Del. Laws, c. 134, § 4;…

§ 708. Requisition of supplies and postage [Repealed]. Repealed by 59 Del. Laws, c. 253, § 6, effective Feb. 5, 1974.

§ 709. Withholding of compensation. (a) A member or officer of the General Assembly may elect to have withheld from the compensation paid to the member or officer those sums of moneys required during each pay period for federal income tax, state income tax, and social security. (…

§ 710. Compensation of Lieutenant Governor and members of General Assembly. (a) The Lieutenant Governor shall receive an annual salary as determined in the annual appropriations act. (b) A member of the Senate and the House of Representatives is to receive an annual salary, as de…

§ 711. Expenses of members of General Assembly. A member of the Senate and the House of Representatives is to receive $7,481 annually for expenses. The expenses received under this section are to be paid under § 2712(a) of this title.60 Del. Laws, c. 82, § 2; 62 Del. Laws, c. 68,…

§ 801. Composition of the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives shall be composed of 41 members who shall be chosen to hold office for 2 years. The State shall be divided into 41 representative districts, from each of which shall be chosen, by the qualified elect…

§ 802. Composition of the Senate; staggered terms. The Senate shall be composed of 21 members who shall be chosen to hold office for a term established under § 806 of this title. The State shall be divided into 21 senatorial districts, from each of which shall be chosen by the qu…

§ 803. Numbering of districts. Each representative district and each senatorial district shall be designated by number.29 Del. C. 1953, § 605; 54 Del. Laws, c. 360; 56 Del. Laws, c. 243; 58 Del. Laws, c. 280, §§ 14-17; 63 Del. Laws, c. 183, § 1; 68 Del. Laws, c. 188, § 1; 73 Del.…

§ 804. Determining district boundaries; criteria. In determining the boundaries of the several representative and senatorial districts within the State, the General Assembly shall use the following criteria. Each district shall, insofar as is possible: (1) Be formed of contiguous…

§ 804A. Criteria for counting incarcerated individuals for redistricting purposes. (a) The General Assembly, in determining the reapportionment and redistricting for the State, applying the criteria set forth in § 804 of this title, and using the official reporting of the federal…

§ 805. Redistricting after federal decennial census. The apportionment provided for by this chapter shall continue in effect until the official reporting by the President of the United States of the next federal decennial census. Within 120 calendar days following the receipt, by…

§ 806. Staggered senatorial districts. (a) The Senators from the 1st, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th and 20th Senatorial Districts shall be elected for 4-year terms in 2022 and 2026 and for a 2-year term in 2030. (b) The Senators from the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 10t…

§ 821. Boundaries of the General Assembly House of Representative Districts. The boundaries of the General Assembly House of Representative districts shall be described as follows: (1) First Representative District. — The First Representative District shall consist of that portio…

§ 831. Boundaries of the General Assembly Senate Districts. The boundaries of the General Assembly Senate Districts shall be as set forth in the Final Senate Maps and the Census Block Breakdown by Senate District with the census tracts and census blocks descriptions published on …

§ 841. Filing of maps. Maps of the several representative and senatorial districts shall be prepared by the Department of Elections. The maps shall be certified as to correctness by the President of the State Board of Elections and the State Election Commissioner and recorded in …

§ 842. Evidence. When the maps referred to in this chapter are so recorded in the respective recorder of deeds’ offices, they shall be prima facie evidence in all judicial proceedings as to the correctness of the boundaries shown thereon.29 Del. C. 1953, § 662; 56 Del. Laws, c. 2…

§ 843. Copies of maps. The State Election Commissioner and the separate departments of elections shall cause such additional copies of the maps to be prepared and distributed as they deem necessary to properly advise the public.29 Del. C. 1953, § 663; 56 Del. Laws, c. 243; 63 Del…

§ 844. Designation of roadways. The term “avenue,” “boulevard,” “drive,” “highway,” “lane,” “parkway,” “place,” “road,” “route,” “street,” “turnpike” or any abbreviations thereof shall be used interchangeably so as to make the descriptions used in this chapter conform to maps cur…

§ 845. House district descriptions. In the descriptions of the various House of Representatives districts, all references to a road, highway, street, drive, place, parkway, lane, avenue, boulevard, route, turnpike, river, stream, branch, gut, boundary line or other physical featu…

§ 846. Senate district descriptions. In the descriptions of the various Senate districts, all references to a road, highway, street, drive, place, parkway, lane, avenue, boulevard, route, turnpike, river, stream, branch, gut, boundary line or other physical feature shall refer to…

§ 901. Altering, defacing, or concealing bills or acts; penalties. (a) (1) It is unlawful to wilfully do any of the following to an act passed by the General Assembly or a bill pending before a House of the General Assembly, a committee of a House of the General Assembly, or a jo…

§ 902. Preservation of bills and resolutions passed. All bills and resolutions passed by the General Assembly which are published in the Session Laws are to be preserved by being printed, stenciled, or typewritten and not copied or transcribed with the pen. The original of all bi…

§ 903. Appointment and duties of Bill Clerks. (a) The Senate and the House of Representatives shall appoint a Bill Clerk for their respective House of the General Assembly. (b) A Bill Clerk shall have general supervision over all bills and resolutions introduced at a session of t…

§ 904. Engrossment; duty of Secretary of the Senate and Chief Clerk of the House as to passed bills or resolutions. (a)(1) If a bill or resolution is amended, the Division of Legislative Services shall prepare an engrossed copy of the bill or joint resolution for the Governor and…

§ 905. Legislative journal; compiling; publication; content; disposition of originals. (a) The legislative journals for the Senate and the House of Representatives required under § 10 of Article II of the Delaware Constitution must be published following each general election for…

§ 906. Publication of Session Laws; typographical errors; Executive Register. (a) (1) The Director of the Division of Legislative Services (“Director”), or the Director’s designee, shall, as soon as practicable after the adjournment of the General Assembly, have published accurat…

§ 907. Publication of private acts [Repealed].13 Del. Laws, c. 1, § 1; Code 1915, § 371; Code 1935, § 340; 29 Del. C. 1953, § 908; 59 Del. Laws, c. 253, § 10; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; repealed by 83 Del. Laws, c. 458, § 17, effective Oct. 14, 2022.;

§ 908. Recording of private acts [Repealed].Code 1852, § 30; Code 1915, § 374; Code 1935, § 343; 29 Del. C. 1953, § 909; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; repealed by 83 Del. Laws, c. 458, § 18, effective Oct. 14, 2022.;

§ 909. Fees for certified copies of private acts [Repealed].13 Del. Laws, c. 1, § 4; 18 Del. Laws, c. 9; 19 Del. Laws, c. 551; 20 Del. Laws, c. 180; Code 1915, § 373; Code 1935, § 342; 29 Del. C. 1953, § 910; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; repealed by 83 Del. Laws, c. 458, § 19, effe…

§ 910. Consideration of agency rules during legislative interim. (a) When an agency adopts a rule or regulation, or makes a substantive amendment to a rule or regulation of the agency during the legislative interim between July 1 and the second Tuesday in January, and the chair o…

§ 911. Deliberative process. (a) (1) A bill, resolution, or other legislative matter assigned to a standing committee must pass through a deliberative process before being brought to the floor of either House, unless the bill or resolution is sooner petitioned out of committee. (…

§ 912. Vote requirement for ratification of amendments to United States Constitution. The General Assembly shall approve a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution by a majority of the members elected to each House of the General Assembly in a roll call vote. The vote…

§ 913. Legislation affecting fees charged by state agencies. (a) The Office of the Controller General shall prepare a statement to be attached to legislation that proposes a fee to be charged by, or an increase in a fee charged by, a state agency. The statement must include an ex…