DOVER, DE - A heated and active Delaware legislative session came to an end Monday, with lawmakers working well into the night to pass as many bills as possible in the final hours before the July 1 deadline. Though only the first half of the two-year session, 2025 saw a slew of new laws passed in the First State.
In addition to adopting a $6.5 billion operating budget, a $37 million supplemental spending bill, and an allocation of $977 million Bond Bill for capital projects, Delaware’s legislature was busy passing various new laws this past session. Below are just a few of note.
Wind and Electricity
SB159 - Reverses a Sussex County denial of a US Wind substation near 3Rs beach to bring offshore wind power cables ashore. Though passed, the law was delayed from kicking in with the last-minute passage of SB199. It is now slated to take effect in January, 2026.
SB60 - Prohibits regulated utilities from using customer funds for lobbying, political contributions, certain advertising, and public relations activities.
HB50 - Establishes the Delaware Energy Fund to help energy consumers whose household income is less than 350% below the federal poverty level.
HB62 - Limits utility cutoffs in extreme temperatures.
Death with Dignity
HB140 - Allows terminally ill Delawareans with six or less months to live to choose to take medication to voluntarily pass.
Law Enforcement and Ethics Watchdogs
HB152 - Toughens laws on the criminal offense of impersonating a police officer.
HB182 - Bans local police partnerships with federal immigration enforcement or entering into 287(g) agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
SB4 - Alters Delaware code to establish the nonpartisan Office of the Inspector General to root out fraud and official misconduct within Delaware’s government.
HB153 - Officially prohibits citizen’s arrests in Delaware
Legislation for Kids
SB106 - Directs school districts and charter schools to adopt cell phone policies that limit their use in the classroom.
HB85 - Bolsters background check requirements for school board members.
SB142 - Mandates schools to provide age-appropriate training to avoid sexual extortion and enact harsher punishments for the sexual extortion of minors.
The second half of Delaware's legislative session is slated to resume in January.