AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 3 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF SEEDS.
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SB 304 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 3 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE REGULATION OF SEEDS.
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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✓Passed Senate
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✓Passed House
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✓To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced June 02, 2022. Enacted.
Prognosis
Where this bill stands today.
Odds of enactment
HighHow often bills like it became law.
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Enacted
Current position in the legislative process.
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8 sponsors
2 primary, 6 co-sponsors signed on.
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Bipartisan support
Sponsored across 2 parties (4 R · 3 D) — 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.
Summary
This Act updates Chapter 15 of Title 3, the regulatory provisions for seeds, by making technical and substantive revisions. This Act makes the following corrections, in addition to technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual: 1. Updates the defined terms and reorganizes the terms into alphabetical order. 2. Corrects the names of plants. 3. Reorganizes the label requirements so there is a separate Code section for each category of seeds. 4. Updates the label requirements to align with federal law. 5. Adds references to applicable federal and state laws. 6. Corrects the enforcement provisions to align with current practices and terminology. 7. Repeals duplicative Code sections. 8. Uses gender neutral language. This Act adds all of the following: 1. Specific requirements for hermetically sealed seed. 2. That labels include a clear "Sell By" date. 3. Definitions for the terms "Department", “germination”, and “hard seed”. 4. Revises the definitions of "origin", "pure seed", and "variety".
Bill Text
- Bill Text View text Current pdf
AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.
This bill amends definitions and labeling requirements related to seeds in the Delaware Code.
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Chapter 15, Title 3
society society,→ society,Corrects a repetition in the definition of 'Person'.
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Chapter 15, Title 3
lawn seeds seeds, and mixes of such these seeds,→ lawn seeds, and mixes of such seeds,Removes redundancy in the definition of 'Agricultural seed'.
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Chapter 15, Title 3
the seeds of those crops which are grown in gardens or truck farms and are generally known and sold under the name of vegetable seeds in this State.→ the seeds of crops generally known and sold as vegetable seeds in this State.Streamlines the definition of 'Vegetable seeds'.
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Chapter 15, Title 3
including written, printed printed, or graphic representations, in any form whatsoever, accompanying or pertaining to any seed that accompany or pertain to any seed, whether in bulk or bulk, in containers, and includes or as representations on invoices.→ including written, printed, or graphic representations accompanying or pertaining to any seed.Clarifies the definition of 'Labeling'.
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Chapter 15, Title 3
which that singly or collectively is known by 1 common name, for example, such as corn, oats, alfalfa alfalfa, and timothy.→ which is known by a common name, such as corn, oats, or alfalfa.Simplifies the definition of 'Kind'.
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Chapter 15, Title 3
characterized by growth, yield, plant, fruit, seed, or other characteristics, by which it can be differentiated from other plants of the same kind. that is distinct, uniform, and stable, defined as follows;→ characterized by growth, yield, and other characteristics that differentiate it from other plants of the same kind.Improves the definition of 'Variety'.
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Chapter 15, Title 3
means seed exclusive of inert matter and other seeds, as determined by methods under regulations promulgated under this chapter.→ means seed that is free from inert matter and other seeds.Clarifies the definition of 'Pure seed'.
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Chapter 15, Title 3
the seeds of Woody plants commonly known and sold as tree and shrub seeds in this State.→ the seeds of woody plants known and sold as tree and shrub seeds in this State.Clarifies the definition of 'Tree and shrub seeds'.
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Chapter 15, Title 3
means the state or foreign country, or the designated portion of a state or foreign country, where the seed was grown.→ means the area where the seeds originated.Simplifies the definition of 'Origin'.
Action History
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Signed by Governor
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Passed By House. Votes: 41 YES
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Reported Out of Committee (Agriculture) in House with 7 On Its Merits
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Assigned to Agriculture Committee in House
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Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
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Reported Out of Committee (Environment & Energy) in Senate with 3 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits
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Introduced and Assigned to Environment & Energy Committee in Senate
Sponsors
- Stephanie L. Hansen · Primary
- William J. Carson · Primary
- Gerald W. Hocker · Cosponsor
- Brian Pettyjohn · Cosponsor
- David L. Wilson · Cosponsor
- Ronald E. Gray · Cosponsor
- Debra Heffernan · Cosponsor
- Bruce C. Ennis · Cosponsor
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →2 sponsors · 6 co-sponsors · 54 not signed on
Sponsors (2)
- Stephanie L. Hansen Democratic
- William J. Carson Democratic
Co-sponsors (6)
- Gerald W. Hocker Republican
- Brian Pettyjohn Republican
- David L. Wilson Republican
- Ronald E. Gray Republican
- Debra Heffernan Democratic
- Bruce C. Ennis
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.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (41)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Democratic | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| % of votes cast | 95% | 0% | 0% | 5% |
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 | Not Voting |
| David L. Wilson | Republican | Yea |
| Gerald W. Hocker | Republican | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- What does SB 304 do?
- This Act updates Chapter 15 of Title 3, the regulatory provisions for seeds, by making technical and substantive revisions. This Act makes the following corrections, in addition to technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual: 1. Updates the defined terms and reorganizes the terms into alphabetical order. 2. Corrects the names of plants. 3. Reorganizes the label requirements so there is a separate Code section for each category of seeds. 4. Updates the label requirements to align with federal law. 5. Adds references to applicable federal and state laws. 6. Corrects the enforcement provisions to align with current practices and terminology. 7. Repeals duplicative Code sections. 8. Uses gender neutral language. This Act adds all of the following: 1. Specific requirements for hermetically sealed seed. 2. That labels include a clear "Sell By" date. 3. Definitions for the terms "Department", “germination”, and “hard seed”. 4. Revises the definitions of "origin", "pure seed", and "variety".
- Who sponsors SB 304?
- SB 304 is sponsored by Stephanie L. Hansen (Democratic), William J. Carson (Democratic), Gerald W. Hocker (Republican), Brian Pettyjohn (Republican), David L. Wilson (Republican), Ronald E. Gray (Republican), Debra Heffernan (Democratic), and Bruce C. Ennis.
- What is the current status of SB 304?
- This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced June 02, 2022. Enacted.
- Where can I track SB 304?
- Track SB 304 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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