The News Journal | by Xerxes Wilson & Sarah Gamard Democratic lawmakers and Attorney General Kathy Jennings are seeking to give government officials more power to hide public documents from the public. A bill proposing those changes passed its first committee hurdle earlier this week. It seeks to empower government officials to deny requests for public records that those officials deem “unreasonably broad, unduly burdensome, abusive” or intended to “disrupt the essential functions of the public body.” Advocates of open government have criticized the legislation, saying the vague language in […]

WDEL | by Mike Phillips Bing’s Bakery on Main Street in Newark officially celebrated its 75th anniversary with a ribbon cutting celebration on Friday, May 14, 2021. Carla Guzzi and her husband Tom, who was head baker at the time, bought the bakery from Selena Bing in 2005 shortly before Mrs. Bing’s death at the age of 91. Guzzi said it’s actually a double anniversary for the bakery because the Bings bought the original bakery from the Fader Family, who had established it in 1871. “It’s 150 years of a […]

Newark Post | by Randall Chase The state House has voted to approve a Democratic proposal eliminating a provision in Delaware law that allows employers to pay minors and probationary workers less than the minimum wage. The measure cleared the Democrat-controlled House on a strict party line vote Thursday and now goes to the Democrat-led Senate. Under current law, businesses are allowed to pay employees under age 18 up to 50 cents less per hour than the minimum wage, which is currently $9.25 per hour. Employers also can pay the […]

Delaware State News | by Matt Bittle Legislation passed by the House on party lines Thursday would eliminate a separate lower minimum wage for youth workers and those in training. House Bill 88 would remove from state law language enabling employees in their first 90 days on the job and individuals younger than 18 to be paid up to 50 cents less than the state minimum wage, which is currently $9.25. It would take effect three months after passage. A separate youth and training wage was established in 2018 as […]

WHYY | by Cris Barrish A bill sponsored by a handful of Delaware Democrats would raise income tax rates for people who earn more than $125,000. But the effort has stalled in committee, even though the party controls both chambers of the General Assembly, and now the House sponsor is considering a compromise measure. State Rep. John Kowalko (D-25), the chief House sponsor, said he wants a more progressive rate for a system that currently taxes people who make $1 million a year at the same rate as someone whose […]

Delaware State News | by Matt Bittle A $15 minimum wage is closer to reality now after a House panel approved legislation that would lift Delaware’s wage floor from $9.25 to $15 in a series of steps. Following a three-hour hearing, the House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce Committee voted along party lines to send the bill to the full chamber for a debate on raising the state minimum wage by $5.75 by 2025. The measure could be voted on as soon as next week. The bill, which passed the Senate […]

Delaware State News | by Craig Anderson A bill calling for an economic-impact analysis connected to pending minimum-wage legislation would infuse related discussions with more specific information, its author said this week. Rep. Bryan Shupe, R-Milford, is calling on the state’s Office of the Controller General to execute or contract out a study tied to Senate Bill 15, approved by the Senate in March and sent to the House of Representatives. If passed, it will increase the state’s minimum wage from $9.25 an hour to $15 an hour by 2025. […]

Newark Post | by Randall Chase A state House committee dealt a blow Wednesday to a proposal by Democratic lawmakers to establish several new tax brackets that would result in higher-income individuals paying more to Delaware’s state coffers. The Democratic-led committee voted 7-6 not to release the measure for consideration by the full House. Democratic Gov. John Carney is opposed to the bill, with administration officials saying it could make Delaware’s income tax structure more volatile and actually lead to a decrease in income tax revenue. Co-sponsors of the measure […]

Newark Post | by Staff and wire reports A bill mandating that elementary schools in Delaware be staffed with counselors, social workers and psychologists is headed to the House floor for a vote. The House Education Committee voted overwhelmingly last week to release the bill for consideration by the full House. Supporters of the bill say mental health disorders are the most common health problem for school-aged children, and that half of lifetime mental health illnesses begin by age 14. Supporters also say the coronavirus epidemic has exacerbated mental health […]

Newark Post | by Randall Chase Lawmakers in Delaware have reintroduced legislation to outlaw homemade “ghost guns” that can’t be traced by law enforcement agents because they don’t have serial numbers or are fashioned from parts created with 3D printers. The measure introduced last week is similar to a bill that failed to get a floor vote last year. The legislation is supported by Gov. John Carney, who first proposed such a law in 2019. “This important ghost gun legislation is thoughtful and reasonable and is intended to keep our […]