HB 415 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 16 AND 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO VETERINARIANS AND MANDATORY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
Last action — Signed by Governor
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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3Passed House
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4Passed Senate
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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has passed the House. Introduced June 11, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the Senate.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
ModerateHow often bills like it became law.
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Passed House
Current position in the legislative process.
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9 sponsors
9 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.
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Bipartisan support
Sponsored across 2 parties (7 D · 2 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
This bill mandates veterinarians to report suspected animal cruelty and undergo training every six years.
The bill requires veterinarians to report any suspected animal cruelty to the appropriate authorities and complete mandatory reporting training every six years. It also establishes confidentiality measures for the veterinarians making such reports.
Summary
This Act requires that all veterinarians report any suspected cruelty to animals to the Office of Animal Welfare or the appropriate reporting authority. Veterinarians must complete mandatory reporting training every 6 years and attest that they have completed mandatory training in any application for licensure or licensure renewal. The Board of Veterinary Medicine may impose disciplinary sanctions for violations of this Act. All reports provided by a veterinarian under this Act are confidential and may only be disclosed under specific circumstances. Under this Act, the Office of Animal Welfare and any other enforcement agency responsible for investigating animal abuse must adopt confidential procedures to protect the identity of the veterinarian making a report.
Bill Text
- Bill Text View text Current pdf
Action History
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Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
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Reported Out of Committee (Legislative Oversight & Sunset) in Senate with 3 Favorable
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Assigned to Legislative Oversight & Sunset Committee in Senate
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Passed By House. Votes: 41 YES
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Reported Out of Committee (Sunset Committee (Policy Analysis & Government Accountability)) in House with 2 Favorable, 1 On Its Merits
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Reported Out of Committee (Sunset Committee (Policy Analysis & Government Accountability)) in House with 2 Favorable, 1 On Its Merits
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Adopted in lieu of the original bill HB 415, and Assigned to Sunset Committee (Policy Analysis & Government Accountability) Committee in House
Sponsors
- Kerri Evelyn Harris · Primary
- Claire Snyder-Hall · Primary
- Josue O Ortega · Primary
- John "Jack" Walsh · Primary
- Nicole Poore · Primary
- Brian Pettyjohn · Primary
- David L. Wilson · Primary
- Krista Griffith · Primary
- Melanie Ross Levin · Primary
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →9 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 53 not signed on
Sponsors (9)
- Kerri Evelyn Harris Democratic
- Claire Snyder-Hall Democratic
- Josue O Ortega Democratic
- John "Jack" Walsh Democratic
- Nicole Poore Democratic
- Brian Pettyjohn Republican
- David L. Wilson Republican
- Krista Griffith Democratic
- Melanie Ross Levin Democratic
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (53)
53 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 53 →"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 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 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 | Yea |
| 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 |
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
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 | 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 |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does HB 415 do?
- This Act requires that all veterinarians report any suspected cruelty to animals to the Office of Animal Welfare or the appropriate reporting authority. Veterinarians must complete mandatory reporting training every 6 years and attest that they have completed mandatory training in any application for licensure or licensure renewal. The Board of Veterinary Medicine may impose disciplinary sanctions for violations of this Act. All reports provided by a veterinarian under this Act are confidential and may only be disclosed under specific circumstances. Under this Act, the Office of Animal Welfare and any other enforcement agency responsible for investigating animal abuse must adopt confidential procedures to protect the identity of the veterinarian making a report.
- Who sponsors HB 415?
- HB 415 is sponsored by Kerri Evelyn Harris (Democratic), Claire Snyder-Hall (Democratic), Josue O Ortega (Democratic), John "Jack" Walsh (Democratic), Nicole Poore (Democratic), Brian Pettyjohn (Republican), David L. Wilson (Republican), Krista Griffith (Democratic), and Melanie Ross Levin (Democratic).
- What is the current status of HB 415?
- This bill has passed the House. Introduced June 11, 2026. It now moves to the second chamber.
- Where can I track HB 415?
- Track HB 415 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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