SB 5 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE LITTER CONTROL LAW.

(3) Such Theb. person is the owner or tenant in lawful possession of such the property or has first obtained consent of the owner or tenant in lawful possession, or unless the act is done under the personal direction of said the owner or tenant, all in a manner consistent with the public welfare.

(b)The Dumping.person is the owner or tenant in lawful possession of such the property or has first obtained consent of the owner or tenant in lawful possession, or unless the act is done under the personal direction of said the owner or tenant, all in a manner consistent with the public welfare.”.

ItFURTHER isAMEND unlawfulSenate forSubstitute aNo. person to dump litter in substantial quantities on public or private property, except under paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section.

Section1 4.for Senate Bill No.

Amend5 §on 1605,line Title77 16 of the Delaware Code by makingdeleting deletions“Sunday” as shown by strike through and insertionsinserting asin shownlieu bythereof underline“Sunday”. as follows:

§SYNOPSIS 1605.To prevent the Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances’ permit activities from being considered littering, this Amendment makes changes to the provision under which littering is unlawful, by clarifying that either of the following 2 situations are lawful:

Penalties;The property is designated for litter management and the person was authorized to use the property for that purpose.

jurisdiction;- or - The litter is placed in a litter receptacle or container installed at the property.

voluntary- assessmentand form.– The person is the owner or tenant in lawful possession of the property or first obtained the owner’s consent, or the act is done under the personal direction of the owner or tenant, all in a manner consistent with the public welfare.

(a)(1)This AnyAmendment Aalso personmakes found guilty of violating this chapter shall littering under § 1604(a) of this title must be punished by a finetechnical ofcorrection. not less than $50 and up to 8 hours of community service for a first offense offense, and $75 and up to 25 hours of community service for a second offense within 2 years of the first offense.

(2) A person found guilty of dumping under § 1604(b) of this title must be punished by a fine of not less than $500 and not less than 8 hours of community service for a first offense, and a fine of not less than $1,000 and not less than 16 hours of community service for a second offense within 2 years of the first offense.

Each instance of dumping constitutes a separate offense under this chapter.

(3) If the offense occurred on or along a "Delaware byway,'' as defined in § 101 of Title 17, an additional mandatory penalty of $500 must be imposed for every first, second, and subsequent offense, in addition to the fine.

An additional mandatory penalty of $500 must be imposed, in addition to the fine, for every first, second, and subsequent offense, if the offense occurred in any of the following locations:

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On or along a Delaware byway, as defined in § 101 of Title 17.

b.

A State park, forestry area, or fish and wildlife area.

c.

A federal wildlife refuge.

d.

Land within the State that is administered by the United States Department of Interior, National Park Service.

(4) In addition, any addition to the penalties listed in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section, the Court may require a person found guilty of violating this chapter shall, at the discretion of the Court, be required to do one or both of the following:

a.

pick Pick up and remove from any public street, highway or highway, public or private right-of-way, or public beach, stream, bank bank, or public park any and all litter deposited or dumped thereon on the property by anyone prior before to the date of execution of sentence.

b.

Pay as restitution an amount determined by the Court to the Littering Investigation and Enforcement Fund.

The State shall maintain the LIEF as a subaccount of the Special Law Enforcement Assistance Fund established under Subchapter II, Chapter 41, of Title 11.

Disbursement of LIEF funds must be authorized under the procedures established under § 4113 of Title 11, for the purpose of investigation, enforcement, and remediation of unlawful littering or dumping.

(b) For the purposes of this chapter the Justices of the Peace Courts shall have jurisdiction.

The Justice of the Peace Court has jurisdiction over a violation of this chapter.

(c) The Court is hereby directed to shall make public the names of persons convicted of violating this chapter.

(d)(1) Any duly constituted peace officer in the State, A peace officer of this State who charges any a person with any offense littering under this chapter § 1604(a) of this title may, in addition to issuing a summons for such the offense, provide the offender with a voluntary assessment form which, when properly executed by the officer and the offender, allows the offender to dispose of the charge without the necessity of personally appearing in the Court to which the summons is returnable.

(2)a.

Payments made pursuant to under paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3) of this section shall be remitted to the Court to which the summons is returnable and shall be must be remitted to and received by the Court to which the summons is returnable within 10 days from the date of arrest (excluding arrest, excluding Saturday and Sunday) and shall be paid only by check or money order.

Sunday.

b.

Restitution made to the LIEF under paragraph (a)(4)b.

of this section must be remitted to and received by the Court ordering restitution within 10 days from the date of the order for restitution, excluding Saturday and Sunday.

(3) The fine imposed pursuant to under this subsection shall must be the minimum fine as provided for in subsection (a) of this section, plus other costs as may be assessed by law.

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03/12/2019 09:59 AM 84 (4) Voluntary assessment forms, “Voluntary assessment form”, as used in this section, means the written agreement or document signed by the violator wherein in which the violator agrees to pay by mail the fine for the offense described therein in the agreement or document together with costs and penalty assessment.

Section 5.

Amend § 1606, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1606.

Prima facie evidence.

(a)(1) Whenever litter is thrown, deposited, dropped or dumped from any The throwing, depositing, dropping, or dumping of litter from a motor vehicle, boat, airplane airplane, or other conveyance in violation of this chapter, it shall be chapter is prima facie evidence that the operator of said the conveyance shall have violated this chapter and chapter.

(2) If, under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, a motor vehicle is used and the identity of the operator is not discernable, there is a rebuttable presumption that the registered owner of the motor vehicle caused or contributed to the violation.

(b) licenses A license to operate such conveyances a conveyance listed in paragraph (a)(1) of this section may be suspended for a period not to exceed 30 days together with, or in lieu of, other penalties for littering in the Code, under this chapter or another law of this State.

unless But, if littering or dumping from said vehicle a conveyance listed in subsection (a) of this section is a first offense in which case offense, the license shall may not be suspended and the sanctions provided in § 1605 of this title shall apply.

Section 6.

Amend § 1607, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1607.

Receptacles to be provided.

(a) All A public authorities and agencies authority or agency having supervision of properties a property of this State are authorized, empowered and instructed to shall do all of the following:

(1) establish Establish and maintain receptacles for the deposit of litter at appropriate locations where such if a property is frequented by the public, and to public.

(2) post Post signs directing persons to such receptacles the public to the receptacles and serving notice of this chapter, and to chapter.

(3) otherwise Otherwise publicize the availability of litter receptacles and the requirements of this chapter.

(b) A public authority or agency may designate a park or recreation area as a carry-in and carry-out facility by posting or otherwise providing a notice to visitors, in which case the public authority or agency is not required to provide receptacles under subsection (a) of this section.

Section 7.

Amend § 1608, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

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Enforcement.

All law-enforcement agencies of the State, including enforcement personnel of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, shall have authority to shall enforce this chapter.

SYNOPSIS This Act addresses the serious problem of individuals dumping large quantities of trash on public and private property, by:

• Defining a “substantial quantity” of litter as being more than an amount contained in a standard garbage can.

• Providing enhanced penalties for the unlawful dumping of a substantial quantity of litter.

• Creating the Litter Investigation and Enforcement Fund (“LIEF”), funded through restitution paid by offenders of this chapter, to support investigations to identify those who violate this chapter.

This Act clarifies that a public authority or agency is not required to provide litter receptacles in a park or recreation area that is designated as a carry-on and carry-out facility.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

This Substitute to Senate Bill No.

5 makes the following changes:

• Clearly labels “littering” as a category of unlawful activity distinct from “dumping.” • Adds State parks, State forestry areas, State fish and wildlife areas, federal wildlife refuges, and lands within the State that are administered by the U.S.

Department of Interior, National Park Service, to the list of areas that trigger enhanced penalties.

• Establishes LIEF as a subaccount to the already-existing Special Law Enforcement Assistance Fund (“SLEAF”) under Subchapter II, Chapter 41, Title 11.

• Requires disbursement of LIEF funds to follow the disbursement procedures already established for SLEAF.

• Clarifies that the voluntary assessment alternative applies only to littering offenses.

The penalty for dumping includes a mandatory community service obligation, so voluntary assessment cannot apply to dumping.

• Updates language to allow courts to accept methods other than check or money order to make payments under this Act.

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