Delaware 153rd General Assembly (2025-2026) Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 7 D · 5 R cosponsors

SB 32 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PRIVACY FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, AND PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS.

Last action — Signed by Governor

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 03, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Matt Meyer (Democratic) on August 12, 2025.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 98% · high confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 13 sponsors

    13 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (7 D · 5 R) — cross-party backing.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

This Act allows for correctional officers and probation and parole officers employed with the Department of Correction to make a written request that their personal information not be published and remain confidential. The Act takes effect 180 days after its enactment to allow for implementation.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

140 added · 24 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendments to SB 32 clarify the definition of "publicly post" or "publicly display," now requiring intentional communication of protected personal information. They limit prohibited conduct to those who engage in such intentional acts and remove a restriction on sharing correctional officers' personal information, allowing companies that offer services like credit reporting to work with officers and their families. Additionally, the amendments refine the private right of action to focus solely on instances of publicly posted or displayed information. Technical corrections were also made for clarity and consistency with drafting standards.

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Hoffner DELAWARE STATE SENATE 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY SENATE AMENDMENT NO.
Hoffner & Rep.
1 TO SENATE BILL NO.
Carson Sens.
32 AMEND Senate Bill No.
Hansen, Huxtable, Lawson, Pettyjohn, Poore, Richardson, Sokola, Wilson;
32 on line 30 by deleting “communicate to another” and inserting in lieu thereof “intentionally communicate”.
Reps.
FURTHER AMEND Senate Bill No.
Cooke, Hilovsky, Ross Levin, D.
32 on lines 48 through 49 by deleting “disclose such personal information.” and inserting in lieu thereof “publicly post or publicly display.”.
Short DELAWARE STATE SENATE 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY SENATE BILL NO.
FURTHER AMEND Senate Bill No.
32 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PRIVACY FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, AND PROBATION AND PAROLE OFFICERS.
32 by deleting lines 60 through 61 in their entirety.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
FURTHER AMEND Senate Bill No.
Section 1.
32 on line 69 by deleting “who is aggrieved by a” and inserting in lieu thereof “whose personal information is publicly posted or publicly displayed in”.
Amend Chapter 65, Part IV, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
FURTHER AMEND Senate Bill No.
Subchapter XII.
32 on line 111 by deleting “two” and inserting in lieu thereof “2”.
Privacy for Correctional Officers, Probation and Parole Officers.
FURTHER AMEND Senate Bill No.
§ 6594.
32 on line 119 by deleting “two-year” and inserting in lieu thereof “2-year”.
Definitions.
SYNOPSIS This Amendment does the following:
As used in this subchapter:
(1) Changes the definition of “publicly post” or “publicly display” to require intentional communication.
(1) “Correctional officer” means any active, formerly active, or retired individual who serves or served as a correctional officer or a probation and parole officer with the Department of Correction.
(2) Clarifies that prohibited conduct is limited to those who publicly post or publicly display protected personal information.
(2) “Department” means the Department of Correction.
(3) Removes the section prohibiting a person from transferring a correctional officer’s personal information to any other person through any medium, which would allow for companies that provide services like credit reporting, identity verification, and fraud detection to provide these services to correctional officers and their spouses and children.
(3) “Family” means as defined in § 901 of Title 10.
(4) Clarifies that the private right of action is limited to personal information that is publicly posted or publicly displayed.
(4) “Government agency” includes all agencies, authorities, boards, commissioner, departments, institutions, offices, and any other bodies of the State created by the Constitution or statute, whether in the executive, judicial, or legislative branch;
(5) Makes technical corrections to conform to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
all units and corporate outgrowths created by executive order of the Governor or any constitutional officer, by the Supreme Court, or by resolution of the General Assembly;
and agencies, authorities, boards, commissions, departments, institutions, offices, and any other bodies politic and corporate of a unit of local government, or school district.
(5) “Home address” includes a correctional officer’s permanent residence and any secondary residence affirmatively identified by the correctional officer, but does not include a correctional officer’s work address.
(6) “Online privacy vendor” means a company that specializes in or offers services that continuously conduct a basic search and removal of personal information from people finding and database websites.
(7) “Person” means as defined in § 302 of Title 1.
(8) “Personal information” means a home address, home telephone number, mobile telephone number, direct telephone number to a correctional officer’s private office, personal e-mail address, social security number, SD :
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01/02/2025 03:28 PM federal tax identification number, checking and savings account numbers, credit or debit card numbers, birth or marital records, property tax records, and identity of children under the age of 18.
(9) “Publicly available content” means any written, printed, or electronic document or record that provides information or that serves as a document or record maintained, controlled, or in the possession of a government agency that may be obtained by any person, from the Internet, from the government agency upon request either free of charge or for a fee, or in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act [Chapter 100 of Title 29].
(10) “Publicly post” or “publicly display” means to communicate to another or otherwise make available to the general public.
(11) “Written request” means written notice signed by a correctional officer or a representative of the correctional officer’s employer requesting a government agency or person to refrain from posting or displaying publicly available content that includes the personal information of the correctional officer or of their family.
§ 6595.
Applicability.
This subchapter applies to correctional officers who serve or served on or after [the effective date of this Act].
§ 6596.
Public display or public posting of a correctional officer’s personal information by government agencies.
Government agencies may not publicly post or publicly display content that includes the personal information of the correctional officer or their family if the correctional officer has made a written request under § 6598 of this title that the government agency not disclose such personal information.
After a government agency has received a written request, that agency shall remove the personal information from publicly available content within 72 hours.
After the government agency has removed the correctional officer’s personal information from publicly available content, the agency shall not publicly post, display or otherwise release the information unless the government agency has received the correctional officer’s consent to make the personal information available to the public.
§ 6597.
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Public display or public posting of a correctional officer’s personal information by persons.
(a) Prohibited conduct.
(1) No person shall publicly post or publicly display the personal information of a correctional officer or their family if the correctional officer has made a written request under § 6598 of this title of that person not to disclose such personal information.
(2) No person shall share, solicit, sell, or trade the personal information of a correctional officer or their family with the intent to pose an imminent and serious threat to the health and safety of the correctional officer or their family.
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01/02/2025 03:28 PM (b) Required conduct.
(1) After a person has received a written request from a correctional officer to protect the personal information of the correctional officer or their family, that person must remove the personal information from public display within 72 hours or, in the case of a printed directory, no later than the next update to the directory.
(2) After a person has received a written request from a correctional officer, that person shall ensure that the correctional officer’s personal information is not publicly displayed, including on any website or subsidiary website controlled by that person.
(3) After receiving a correctional officer’s written request, a person may not transfer the correctional officer’s personal information to any other person through any medium.
(c) Remedies.
(1) Equitable relief.
A correctional officer or family member whose personal information is made public as a result of a violation of this subchapter may bring an action seeking injunctive or declaratory relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.
If the court grants injunctive or declaratory relief, the person responsible for the violation shall be required to pay the correctional officer’s costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees.
(2) Private right of action.
A correctional officer or family member who is aggrieved by a violation of this subsection may bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction.
A prevailing plaintiff in such action shall be awarded damages in an amount not greater than 3 times the actual damages to the plaintiff and not less than $10,000.
(3) Criminal penalties.
Public posting or display of a correctional officer’s personal information after receipt of a written request may result in criminal penalties under Title 11 where the statutory elements of a crime defined under that title are met.
(d) Affirmative defense.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or enlarge the protections that 47 U.S.C § 230 confers on an interactive computer service for content provided by another information content provider, as those terms are defined in 47 U.S.C.
§ 230.
§ 6598.
Procedure for completing a written request.
(a) Requirement that a correctional officer make a written request.
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01/02/2025 03:28 PM 82 No government agency or person shall be found to have violated any provision of this subchapter if the correctional officer has not submitted a written request calling for the protection of the correctional officer’s personal information.
(b) Written request procedure.
(1) A correctional officer’s written request is valid if any of the following occur:
a.
The correctional officer sends a written request directly to a government agency or person.
b.
The correctional officer files a written request with the Department for the Department to notify government agencies and persons.
(2) The Department shall develop a policy and procedure for a correctional officer to file a written request with the Department for the Department to notify government agencies and persons and shall enroll the correctional officer in the services of an online privacy vendor.
(c) In each quarter of a calendar year, the Department shall provide a list of all correctional officers who have submitted a written request to it, to the appropriate officer with ultimate supervisory authority for a government agency.
The officer shall promptly provide a copy of the list to all government agencies under the officer’s supervision.
Receipt of the written request list compiled by the Department by a government agency shall constitute a written request to that agency for the purposes of this subchapter.
(d) A representative from the correctional officer may submit a written request on the correctional officer’s behalf, provided that the correctional officer gives written consent to the representative and provided that the representative agrees to furnish a copy of that consent when a written request is made.
The representative shall submit the written request as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(e) Information to be included in the written request.
(1) A correctional officer’s written request shall specify what personal information shall be maintained private.
(2) If a correctional officer wishes to identify a secondary residence as a home address as that term is defined in this subchapter, the designation shall be made in the written request.
(3) A correctional officer shall disclose the identity of the correctional officer’s family and indicate that the personal information of these family members shall also be excluded to the extent that it could reasonably be expected to reveal the personal information of the correctional officer.
(f) Duration of the written request, removal for cause, renewals, revocations, and good standing clause.
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01/02/2025 03:28 PM (1) A correctional officer’s written request is valid for two years, unless the correctional officer is removed for cause or fired, in which case that correctional officer’s name must be immediately removed by the Department.
(2) A correctional officer may renew their written request an unlimited number of times so long as they remain employed with the Department.
(3) A correctional officer may revoke their written request by providing notice to the Department or the government agency, person, business, or association with written permission to release the private information.
(4) Any correctional officer who retires or leaves the Department in good standing is eligible to request a two-year extension of their written request from the date of retirement or date of leave.
Section 2.
This Act takes effect 180 days following its enactment into law.
SYNOPSIS This Act allows for correctional officers and probation and parole officers employed with the Department of Correction to make a written request that their personal information not be published and remain confidential.
The Act takes effect 180 days after its enactment to allow for implementation.
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Action History

  1. Signed by Governor

  2. Passed By House. Votes: 39 YES 1 ABSENT 1 VACANT

  3. Reported Out of Committee (Appropriations) in House with 4 On Its Merits

  4. Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House

  5. Reported Out of Committee (Corrections) in House with 2 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits

  6. Assigned to Corrections Committee in House

  7. Passed By Senate. Votes: 17 YES 4 ABSENT

  8. Amendment SA 1 to SB 32 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 17 YES 4 ABSENT

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

  10. Suspension of Rules in Senate

  11. Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate

  12. Reported Out of Committee (Corrections & Public Safety) in Senate with 4 Favorable

  13. Introduced and Assigned to Corrections & Public Safety Committee in Senate

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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13 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 49 not signed on

Sponsors (13)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (49)

49 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 49 →

"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 39 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 25001
Republican 14000
Total 39001
% of votes cast 98%0%0%3%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
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 Not Voting
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 Yea
Melanie Ross Levin Democratic Yea
Melissa Minor-Brown Democratic Yea
Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha Democratic Yea
Sean M. Lynn Democratic Yea
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 Yea
Kevin S Hensley Republican Yea
Lyndon D. Yearick Republican Yea
Michael F. Smith Republican Yea
Richard G. Collins Republican Yea
Ronald E. Gray Republican Yea
Shannon Morris Republican Yea
Timothy D. Dukes Republican Yea
Valerie Jones Giltner Republican Yea

Official roll call →

SM

Passed 17 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 14001
Republican 3003
Total 17004
% of votes cast 81%0%0%19%
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 Not Voting
Bryant L. Richardson Republican Yea
Dave G. Lawson Republican Yea
David L. Wilson Republican Not Voting
Eric Buckson Republican Yea
Gerald W. Hocker Republican Not Voting

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 SB 32 do?
This Act allows for correctional officers and probation and parole officers employed with the Department of Correction to make a written request that their personal information not be published and remain confidential. The Act takes effect 180 days after its enactment to allow for implementation.
Who sponsors SB 32?
SB 32 is sponsored by Daniel B. Short (Republican), Laura V. Sturgeon (Democratic), Franklin D. Cooke (Democratic), David L. Wilson (Republican), David P. Sokola (Democratic), Bryant L. Richardson (Republican), Nicole Poore (Democratic), Brian Pettyjohn (Republican), Dave G. Lawson (Republican), Russell Huxtable (Democratic), Melanie Ross Levin, William J. Carson (Democratic), and Kyra L. Hoffner (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 32?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 03, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 32?
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