Delaware 153rd General Assembly (2025-2026) Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 5 D · 4 R cosponsors

HB 27 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE ANTI-TRAFFICKING ACTION COUNCIL.

Last action — Signed by Governor

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 19, 2024. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Matt Meyer (Democratic) on May 07, 2025.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 10 sponsors

    10 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (5 D · 4 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

This Act makes changes to the operating requirements for the Delaware Anti-Trafficking Action Council. It reduces the members required for quorum from 13 to 10. Since the quorum requirement has been reduced to less than a majority of the Council, the bill also specifies that the Council may generally take action upon the vote of a majority of members present at a meeting, but that a majority vote of the Council members is required to approve the appointment of an Executive Director. Consistent with current practice, the Executive Director has the authority to hire staff and contract for services within the limits of available funds. The Act also revises the reporting on funds spent to be part of the annual report and include state, federal, or other funding received by the Council other than State-funded positions. At the present time, the Council does not receive state funding other than allocated personnel positions. Finally, the Act allows the Council to have a virtual meeting with a physical location open to the public (anchor location) so long as a staff member of the Council is present at the anchor location. Without this authorization, a member of the Council would be required to attend at the anchor location in order to comply with the State’s open meeting rules.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

47 added · 25 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to HB 27 adds a retired judicial officer with knowledge of human trafficking to the Delaware Anti-Trafficking Action Council, increasing its membership. This change aims to enhance the Council's expertise and oversight related to human trafficking issues. Additionally, the amendment includes technical corrections to align the language with the Legislative Drafting Manual.

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Williams HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE AMENDMENT NO.
Williams & Rep.
1 TO HOUSE BILL NO.
Michael Smith & Sen.
27 AMEND House Bill No.
Poore & Sen.
27 by deleting line 5 in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
Richardson Reps.
“(k) (2) The Council consists of the following 24 25 members:
Dukes, Gorman, Griffith, Bush, Romer;
a.
Sens.
Three representatives of the Judicial Branch, as appointed by the Chief Justice;
Hocker, Lawson HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE BILL NO.
Justice.
27 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE ANTI- TRAFFICKING ACTION COUNCIL.
b.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
A representative of the Department of Justice to be appointed by the Attorney General;
Section 1.
General.
Amend § 787, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
c.
§ 787.
A representative of the Office of Defense Services to be appointed by the Chief Defender;
Trafficking an individual, forced labor and sexual servitude;
Defender.
class D felony;
d.
class C felony;
A representative of the law-enforcement community to be appointed by the Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives;
class B felony;
Representatives.
class A felony.
e.
(k) (4) Meetings;
A representative of the health-care community to be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Delaware State Senate;
Senate.
f.
A representative of the Department of Health and Social Services to be appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services;
Services.
g.
A representative of the Department of Labor to be appointed by the Secretary of Labor;
Labor.
h.
A representative of the Department of Services for the Children, Youth and Their Families to be appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Services for the Children, Youth and Their Families;
Families.
s.
A retired judicial officer with knowledge of human trafficking to be appointed by the Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives.
(4) Meetings;
procedure.”.
procedure.
SYNOPSIS This amendment adds a retired judicial officer with knowledge of human trafficking to the membership of the Delaware Anti-Trafficking Action Council.
a.
This amendment also makes technical corrections to conform with the Legislative Drafting Manual.
The Council shall meet at least 4 times per year.
Thirteen Ten members constitute a quorum.
Except as set forth under paragraph (k)(5) of this section, the Council may take action upon the affirmative vote of a majority of Council members present at a meeting.
f.
3.
The Council shall include in the annual report that it submits under paragraph (k)(4)f.1.
Show all 66 changed rows (26 more)
Previous
Latest
of this section how the Council spent any state funds received for the previous fiscal year.
an explanation of the spending of any state, federal, or other funds received.
For purposes of this paragraph (k)(4)f.3., “state funds” means any state money allocated to the Council other than funding for staff positions.
4.
At each full council meeting, the Council shall provide a report to meeting attendees on how it has, since the previous full council meeting, spent any state funding received.
[Repealed.] g.
The Council may hold a virtual meeting in compliance with § 10006A of Title 29, except that the Council is permitted to have a staff member present at an anchor location in lieu of or in addition to having a member of the council present.
(5) a.
The Council shall employ an Executive Director to be appointed by the Chair with approval of a quorum majority of the full membership of the Council.
The Executive Director will serve at the pleasure of a quorum majority of the full membership of the Council.
A vacant position is not counted for purposes of calculating full membership of the Council under this paragraph (k)(5).
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12/19/2024 10:01 AM c.
Subject to the approval of a quorum of the Council and within Within the limits of any appropriation made by the General Assembly or available funding from another funding source, the Executive Director of the Council shall employ staff and contract for services as necessary to carry out the functions of the Council.
SYNOPSIS This Act makes changes to the operating requirements for the Delaware Anti-Trafficking Action Council.
It reduces the members required for quorum from 13 to 10.
Since the quorum requirement has been reduced to less than a majority of the Council, the bill also specifies that the Council may generally take action upon the vote of a majority of members present at a meeting, but that a majority vote of the Council members is required to approve the appointment of an Executive Director.
Consistent with current practice, the Executive Director has the authority to hire staff and contract for services within the limits of available funds.
The Act also revises the reporting on funds spent to be part of the annual report and include state, federal, or other funding received by the Council other than State-funded positions.
At the present time, the Council does not receive state funding other than allocated personnel positions.
Finally, the Act allows the Council to have a virtual meeting with a physical location open to the public (anchor location) so long as a staff member of the Council is present at the anchor location.
Without this authorization, a member of the Council would be required to attend at the anchor location in order to comply with the State’s open meeting rules.
HD :
KL :
SCD Page 2 of 2 Released:
12/19/2024 10:01 AM 0281530002
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Action History

  1. Signed by Governor

  2. Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 ABSENT

  3. Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 1 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits

  4. Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate

  5. Passed By House. Votes: 36 YES 5 ABSENT

  6. Amendment HA 1 to HB 27 - Passed In House by Voice Vote

  7. Amendment HA 1 to HB 27 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

  8. Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 4 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits

  9. Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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10 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 52 not signed on

Sponsors (10)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (52)

52 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 52 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

SM

Passed 19 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 14001
Republican 5001
Total 19002
% of votes cast 90%0%0%10%
How each member voted (21)
Member Party Vote
Bryan Townsend Democratic Yea
Daniel Cruce Democratic Yea
Darius J. Brown Democratic Not Voting
David P. Sokola Democratic Yea
John "Jack" Walsh Democratic Yea
Kyra L. Hoffner Democratic Yea
Laura V. Sturgeon Democratic Yea
Marie Pinkney Democratic Yea
Nicole Poore Democratic Yea
Ray Seigfried Democratic Yea
Russell Huxtable Democratic Yea
S. Elizabeth Lockman Democratic Yea
Spiros Mantzavinos Democratic Yea
Stephanie L. Hansen Democratic Yea
Trey Paradee Democratic Yea
Brian Pettyjohn Republican Yea
Bryant L. Richardson Republican Yea
Dave G. Lawson Republican Not Voting
David L. Wilson Republican Yea
Eric Buckson Republican Yea
Gerald W. Hocker Republican Yea

Official roll call →

SM

Passed 36 Yea · 0 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 24002
Republican 12002
Unaffiliated 0001
Total 36005
% of votes cast 88%0%0%12%
How each member voted (41)
Member Party Vote
Stell Parker Selby — Not Voting
Claire Snyder-Hall Democratic Yea
Cyndie Romer Democratic Yea
DeShanna U Neal Democratic Yea
Debra Heffernan Democratic Yea
Edward S. Osienski Democratic Yea
Eric Morrison Democratic Yea
Frank Burns Democratic Yea
Franklin D. Cooke Democratic Yea
Josue O Ortega Democratic Yea
Kamela T Smith Democratic Yea
Kendra Johnson Democratic Yea
Kerri Evelyn Harris Democratic Yea
Kimberly Williams Democratic Yea
Krista Griffith Democratic Yea
Larry Lambert Democratic Yea
Madinah Wilson-Anton Democratic Yea
Mara Gorman Democratic Not Voting
Melanie Ross Levin Democratic Yea
Melissa Minor-Brown Democratic Yea
Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha Democratic Yea
Sean M. Lynn Democratic Not Voting
Sherae'a Moore Democratic Yea
Sophie Phillips Democratic Yea
Stephanie T. Bolden Democratic Yea
William Bush Democratic Yea
William J. Carson Democratic Yea
Bryan W. Shupe Republican Yea
Charles S Postles Jr. Republican Yea
Daniel B. Short Republican Yea
Jeff Hilovsky Republican Yea
Jeffrey N. Spiegelman Republican Yea
Jesse R. Vanderwende Republican Not Voting
Kevin S Hensley Republican Yea
Lyndon D. Yearick Republican Yea
Michael F. Smith Republican Yea
Richard G. Collins Republican Yea
Ronald E. Gray Republican Not Voting
Shannon Morris Republican Yea
Timothy D. Dukes Republican Yea
Valerie Jones Giltner Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB 27 do?
This Act makes changes to the operating requirements for the Delaware Anti-Trafficking Action Council. It reduces the members required for quorum from 13 to 10. Since the quorum requirement has been reduced to less than a majority of the Council, the bill also specifies that the Council may generally take action upon the vote of a majority of members present at a meeting, but that a majority vote of the Council members is required to approve the appointment of an Executive Director. Consistent with current practice, the Executive Director has the authority to hire staff and contract for services within the limits of available funds. The Act also revises the reporting on funds spent to be part of the annual report and include state, federal, or other funding received by the Council other than State-funded positions. At the present time, the Council does not receive state funding other than allocated personnel positions. Finally, the Act allows the Council to have a virtual meeting with a physical location open to the public (anchor location) so long as a staff member of the Council is present at the anchor location. Without this authorization, a member of the Council would be required to attend at the anchor location in order to comply with the State’s open meeting rules.
Who sponsors HB 27?
HB 27 is sponsored by Stell Parker Selby, Dave G. Lawson (Republican), Cyndie Romer (Democratic), William Bush (Democratic), Mara Gorman (Democratic), Timothy D. Dukes (Republican), Bryant L. Richardson (Republican), Nicole Poore (Democratic), Michael F. Smith (Republican), and Kimberly Williams (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 27?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 19, 2024. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 27?
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