SB 196 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
Last action — Signed by Governor
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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3Passed Senate
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4Passed House
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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced May 21, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
ModerateHow often bills like it became law.
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Passed Senate
Current position in the legislative process.
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5 sponsors
5 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
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Bipartisan support
Sponsored across 2 parties (3 D · 1 R) — cross-party backing.
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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.
In plain language
The bill requires long-term care facilities to disclose ownership information to residents and the public.
This bill mandates that long-term care facilities disclose their ownership information, both on their websites and in marketing materials. It clarifies the responsibilities for informing residents about ownership changes and disciplinary actions against the facilities.
What this means for you
- Workers: For workers in long-term care, this means clear information about ownership changes and accountability in the facility management.
- Families: Families with loved ones in long-term care will have better access to information about facility ownership and history.
- Consumers: Consumers will have more transparency in choosing long-term care facilities due to publicly available ownership information.
Summary
This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 196. Like Senate Bill No. 196, this Act requires long-term care facilities to fully disclose ownership information for the facility and disclose ownership information to residents prior to the transfer of ownership of a facility. This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 196 in the following ways: 1. It changes the definition of "facility owner" to align with federal regulations. 2. It modifies the requirements for a long-term care facility to include a list of facility owners on marketing and promotional materials, instead requiring that the list of facility owners be found on the long-term care facility's website, and that any marketing or promotional materials include a statement directing recipients of the materials to the facility's website for a list of owners. 3. It amends the timeline for a long-term care facility to disclose a proposed transfer of ownership to no more than 30 calendar days after receiving approval of required modification of ownership and control paperwork from the Department. 4. It clarifies the requirements of both current and proposed new facility owners in disclosing a transfer of ownership to residents and, if applicable, authorized representatives of residents of the long-term care facility. 5. It modifies the requirement that the disclosure of disciplinary actions against the facility to be limited to those actions resulting from incidents that threatened the health, safety, or welfare of a resident. 6. It removes an explicit statement of the Department's authority to delay or deny the transfer of a license due to previous disciplinary actions. 7. It exempts nonprofit corporations from having to disclose certain information. 8. It explicitly exempts the requirements of this Act from applying to certain actions that began prior to the effective date of this Act.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
80 added · 15 removedPlain-language change summary
The amendment to SB 196 clarifies the requirements for printed informational brochures provided by long-term care facilities. It specifies that these brochures must include the websites of both the facility and the Department of Health and Social Services, directing readers to where they can find information about the facility's ownership. This change aims to ensure that potential residents and their families have easy access to ownership information.
Mantzavinos DELAWARE& STATERep. SENATE 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY SENATE AMENDMENT NO.
1K. TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO.
Johnson Reps.
Lambert, Ross Levin, Kamela Smith, Snyder-Hall DELAWARE STATE SENATE 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO.
196 AN ACT TO AMEND SenateTITLE Substitute16 No.OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
1BE forIT SenateENACTED BillBY No.THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
196Section by1. deleting lines 15 through 19 in their entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
“(g)Amend AChapter long-term11, careTitle facility16 mustof prominentlythe andDelaware conspicuouslyCode postby themaking currentdeletions facilityas ownersshown ofby thestrike long-termthrough careand facilityinsertions onas theshown long-termby careunderline facility’sas website.follows and by redesignating accordingly:
Any§ printed1102. informational brochures that are provided and used in direct consultation with potential residents and their families must include a statement directing recipients of the materials to the website of the long-term care facility and to the Department’s website for information about the ownership of the long-term care facility.” .
SYNOPSISDefinitions. This amendment clarifies the requirements for printed informational brochures used by a long-term care facility.
Specifically,( it) clarifies“Affiliate” thatmeans alla printedperson, informationalas brochuresdefined mustin include§ the302 website addresses of theTitle long-term1, carewho facilitydirectly andor Departmentindirectly ofthrough Health1 andor Socialmore Servicesintermediaries, oncontrols allor printedis informationalcontrolled brochuresby, foror moreis informationunder regardingcommon ownershipcontrol ofwith, thea long-termspecified careentity facility.or person.
( ) “Facility owner” means any person with direct or indirect ownership or controlling interest in a long-term care facility of 5% or more.
§ 1108.
Posting of inspection summary and other information and public meetings.
(e) A long-term care facility must disclose, in the manner and form determined by the Department, the Facility Owner of the long-term care facility, including all controlling persons of an entity or affiliate that is not a publicly traded corporation or nonprofit corporation.
A long-term care facility must update this disclosure within 30 calendar days of any change to the information previously disclosed.
(f) The Department shall publish the disclosed information of the current facility owner, including any controlling persons, of each long-term care facility on the Department’s website.
(g) A long-term care facility must prominently and conspicuously post the current facility owners of the long-term care facility on the long-term care facility’s website.
Any printed informational brochures that are provided and used in direct consultation with potential residents and their families must include a statement directing recipients of the materials to the website of the long-term care facility or to the Department’s website for information about the ownership of the long- term care facility.
§ 1108A.
Required disclosure for transfer of ownership.
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05/21/2026 02:59 PM (a) In addition to required Modification of Ownership and Control paperwork, the proposed new facility owner of a long-term care facility must disclose to the Department, in the manner and form determined by the Department, information related to any other licensed long-term care facilities owned by the proposed new facility owner, or any affiliates of the proposed new facility owner, seeking to assume ownership of the long-term care facility, including:
(1) Any licensed long-term care facility owned, operated, or managed by the proposed new facility owner, or any affiliates of the proposed new facility owner, in any state or territory of the United States or in the District of Columbia in the preceding year.
(2) Any disciplinary actions related to a material risk to the health, safety, or welfare of a resident imposed during the preceding year against any facility owned, operated, or managed by the proposed new facility owner or any affiliates of the proposed new facility owner in any jurisdiction.
(b) Within 30 days of receiving approval of the required Modification of Ownership and Control paperwork from the Department, the current facility owner of the long-term care facility must disclose to each current resident of the long- term care facility and, if applicable, each authorized representative of a current resident of the long-term care facility the following information:
(1) The name of the proposed new facility owner of the long-term care facility.
(2) Any licensed long-term care facility owned, operated, or managed by the proposed new facility owner, or any affiliates of the proposed new facility owner, in any state or territory of the United States or in the District of Columbia in the preceding year.
(3) Any disciplinary actions related to a material risk to the health, safety, or welfare of a resident imposed during the preceding year against any facility owned, operated, or managed by the proposed new facility owner or any affiliates of the proposed new facility owner in any jurisdiction.
(c) Within 30 days of the Department’s issuance of a new license under the new facility owner, the new facility owner must provide a second notice to each current resident of the long-term care facility, and, if applicable, each authorized representative of a current resident, confirming the information required under subsection (b) of this section and the effective date of the transfer of ownership.
(d) This section does not apply to the transfer of ownership of a long-term care facility when either of the following apply:
(1) A binding agreement of sale has been executed prior to [the effective date of this Act].
(2) An application for licensure, change of ownership, or other required regulatory approval has been submitted to the Department prior to [the effective date of this Act].
SD :
AVP :
ALW Page 2 of 3 Released:
05/21/2026 02:59 PM SYNOPSIS This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No.
196.
Show all 62 changed lines (22 more)
Like Senate Bill No.
196, this Act requires long-term care facilities to fully disclose ownership information for the facility and disclose ownership information to residents prior to the transfer of ownership of a facility.
This Act differs from Senate Bill No.
196 in the following ways:
1.
It changes the definition of "facility owner" to align with federal regulations.
2.
It modifies the requirements for a long-term care facility to include a list of facility owners on marketing and promotional materials, instead requiring that the list of facility owners be found on the long-term care facility's website, and that any marketing or promotional materials include a statement directing recipients of the materials to the facility's website for a list of owners.
3.
It amends the timeline for a long-term care facility to disclose a proposed transfer of ownership to no more than calendar days after receiving approval of required modification of ownership and control paperwork from the Department.
4.
It clarifies the requirements of both current and proposed new facility owners in disclosing a transfer of ownership to residents and, if applicable, authorized representatives of residents of the long-term care facility.
5.
It modifies the requirement that the disclosure of disciplinary actions against the facility to be limited to those actions resulting from incidents that threatened the health, safety, or welfare of a resident.
6.
It removes an explicit statement of the Department's authority to delay or deny the transfer of a license due to previous disciplinary actions.
7.
It exempts nonprofit corporations from having to disclose certain information.
8.
It explicitly exempts the requirements of this Act from applying to certain actions that began prior to the effective date of this Act.
ALW Page 13 of 13 Released:
06/10/202605/21/2026 03:5502:59 PM 27115302852711530242
Show all 62 changed rows (22 more)
Action History
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Passed By House. Votes: 39 YES 1 NO 1 ABSENT
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Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 10 On Its Merits
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Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House
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Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
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Amendment SA 1 to SS 1 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
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Amendment SA 1 to SS 1 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
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Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 5 On Its Merits
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Adopted in lieu of the original bill SB 196, and Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate
Sponsors
- Claire Snyder-Hall · Primary
- Dave G. Lawson · Primary
- Melanie Ross Levin · Primary
- Ray Seigfried · Primary
- Spiros Mantzavinos · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →5 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 57 not signed on · 1 voted No
Sponsors (5)
- Claire Snyder-Hall Democratic
- Dave G. Lawson Republican
- Melanie Ross Levin
- Ray Seigfried Democratic
- Spiros Mantzavinos Democratic
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (57)
57 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 57 →"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.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 39 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| % of votes cast | 95% | 2% | 0% | 2% |
How each member voted (41)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Alonna Berry | Democratic | Yea |
| 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 | 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 | Nay |
| 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 | Yea |
| Shannon Morris | Republican | Yea |
| Timothy D. Dukes | Republican | Yea |
| Valerie Jones Giltner | Republican | Yea |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Republican | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| % of votes cast | 95% | 0% | 0% | 5% |
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 | Yea |
| David L. Wilson | Republican | Yea |
| Eric Buckson | Republican | Yea |
| Gerald W. Hocker | Republican | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 196 do?
- This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 196. Like Senate Bill No. 196, this Act requires long-term care facilities to fully disclose ownership information for the facility and disclose ownership information to residents prior to the transfer of ownership of a facility. This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 196 in the following ways: 1. It changes the definition of "facility owner" to align with federal regulations. 2. It modifies the requirements for a long-term care facility to include a list of facility owners on marketing and promotional materials, instead requiring that the list of facility owners be found on the long-term care facility's website, and that any marketing or promotional materials include a statement directing recipients of the materials to the facility's website for a list of owners. 3. It amends the timeline for a long-term care facility to disclose a proposed transfer of ownership to no more than 30 calendar days after receiving approval of required modification of ownership and control paperwork from the Department. 4. It clarifies the requirements of both current and proposed new facility owners in disclosing a transfer of ownership to residents and, if applicable, authorized representatives of residents of the long-term care facility. 5. It modifies the requirement that the disclosure of disciplinary actions against the facility to be limited to those actions resulting from incidents that threatened the health, safety, or welfare of a resident. 6. It removes an explicit statement of the Department's authority to delay or deny the transfer of a license due to previous disciplinary actions. 7. It exempts nonprofit corporations from having to disclose certain information. 8. It explicitly exempts the requirements of this Act from applying to certain actions that began prior to the effective date of this Act.
- Who sponsors SB 196?
- SB 196 is sponsored by Claire Snyder-Hall (Democratic), Dave G. Lawson (Republican), Melanie Ross Levin, Ray Seigfried (Democratic), and Spiros Mantzavinos (Democratic).
- What is the current status of SB 196?
- This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced May 21, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
- Where can I track SB 196?
- Track SB 196 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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