Delaware 151st General Assembly (2021-2022) Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 5 D · 1 R cosponsors

SB 84 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ABUSE, NEGLECT, MISTREATMENT, FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION, OR MEDICATION DIVERSION OF RESIDENTS OR PATIENTS.

Last action — Signed by Governor

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  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 March 09, 2021. Enacted.

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.

  • 8 sponsors

    4 primary, 4 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (5 D · 1 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 elevates medication diversion out of the definition of abuse for the sake of clarity and is not intended to change existing reporting obligations for facilities under Subchapter III of Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Delaware Code (“Subchapter III”). This Act ensures reporting requirements are triggered for facilities and hospitals covered by Subchapter III if medication diversion occurs in the facilities or hospitals. Reporting is essential to the Department of Justice’s ability to prosecute and recommend treatment, when appropriate, for the person committing medication diversion. Finally, this Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including standardizing the order of words in the phrase “abuse, neglect, mistreatment, financial exploitation, or medication diversion” to ensure consistency. Medication diversion poses a threat to patient and resident safety in long-term care facilities, psychiatric facilities, nursing facilities, and hospitals. Risks include patients and residents receiving inadequate pain relief, exposure to infectious diseases from contaminated needles and drugs, and potentially unsafe care. The Drug Enforcement Administration recognizes 5 classes of drugs that are frequently abused: opioids, depressants, hallucinogens, stimulants, and anabolic steroids. Opioid abuse is the major cause of medication diversion. Medication diversion is commonly underreported. The sooner medication diversion is reported, the sooner interventions can be made to protect the health and safety of a patient or resident and to provide drug treatment or other help to a healthcare worker.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Signed by Governor

  2. Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 ABSENT

  3. Suspension of Rules in House

  4. Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 7 Favorable, 7 On Its Merits

  5. Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House

  6. Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

  7. Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 3 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits

  8. Introduced and Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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4 sponsors · 4 co-sponsors · 54 not signed on

Sponsors (4)

Co-sponsors (4)

Not signed on (54)

54 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 54 →

"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 40 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 13000
Democratic 16000
Republican 11001
Total 40001
% of votes cast 98%0%0%2%
How each member voted (41)
Member Party Vote
Andria L. Bennett — Yea
David Bentz — Yea
Gerald L. Brady — Yea
John A. Kowalko — Yea
John L. Mitchell — Yea
Michael Ramone — Yea
Paul S. Baumbach — Yea
Peter C. Schwartzkopf — Yea
Ruth Briggs King — Yea
Sean Matthews — Yea
Sherry Dorsey Walker — Yea
Stephen Smyk — Yea
Valerie Longhurst — Yea
Debra Heffernan Democratic Yea
Edward S. Osienski Democratic Yea
Eric Morrison Democratic Yea
Franklin D. Cooke Democratic Yea
Kendra Johnson Democratic Yea
Kimberly Williams Democratic Yea
Krista Griffith Democratic Yea
Larry Lambert Democratic Yea
Madinah Wilson-Anton Democratic Yea
Melissa Minor-Brown Democratic Yea
Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha Democratic Yea
Sean M. Lynn Democratic Yea
Sherae'a Moore 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
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 Not Voting

Official roll call →

SM

Passed 21 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 5000
Democratic 11000
Republican 5000
Total 21000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (21)
Member Party Vote
Bruce C. Ennis — Yea
Colin Bonini — Yea
Ernesto B Lopez — Yea
Kyle Evans Gay — Yea
Sarah McBride — Yea
Bryan Townsend Democratic Yea
Darius J. Brown Democratic Yea
David P. Sokola Democratic Yea
John "Jack" Walsh Democratic Yea
Laura V. Sturgeon Democratic Yea
Marie Pinkney Democratic Yea
Nicole Poore 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
Gerald W. Hocker Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 84 do?
This Act elevates medication diversion out of the definition of abuse for the sake of clarity and is not intended to change existing reporting obligations for facilities under Subchapter III of Chapter 11 of Title 16 of the Delaware Code (“Subchapter III”). This Act ensures reporting requirements are triggered for facilities and hospitals covered by Subchapter III if medication diversion occurs in the facilities or hospitals. Reporting is essential to the Department of Justice’s ability to prosecute and recommend treatment, when appropriate, for the person committing medication diversion. Finally, this Act makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including standardizing the order of words in the phrase “abuse, neglect, mistreatment, financial exploitation, or medication diversion” to ensure consistency. Medication diversion poses a threat to patient and resident safety in long-term care facilities, psychiatric facilities, nursing facilities, and hospitals. Risks include patients and residents receiving inadequate pain relief, exposure to infectious diseases from contaminated needles and drugs, and potentially unsafe care. The Drug Enforcement Administration recognizes 5 classes of drugs that are frequently abused: opioids, depressants, hallucinogens, stimulants, and anabolic steroids. Opioid abuse is the major cause of medication diversion. Medication diversion is commonly underreported. The sooner medication diversion is reported, the sooner interventions can be made to protect the health and safety of a patient or resident and to provide drug treatment or other help to a healthcare worker.
Who sponsors SB 84?
SB 84 is sponsored by Laura V. Sturgeon (Democratic), Melissa Minor-Brown (Democratic), Larry Lambert (Democratic), David P. Sokola (Democratic), Bryan Townsend (Democratic), Michael F. Smith (Republican), Bruce C. Ennis, and Paul S. Baumbach.
What is the current status of SB 84?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced March 09, 2021. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 84?
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