In this issue:

• Legislative Wrap Up
• SB 262 and SB 274 Heard in Senate Energy, Environment and Transportation Committee
• DelDOT Announces Partial Closure of Johnson Road in Georgetown

Legislative Wrap Up

Throughout the last few weeks of session, there are many bills that will be considered. I wanted to give you a status update on a few bills that have garnered a lot of interest from Delaware residents.

SB 300- Sponsored by Senator Gay, this bill requires crisis pregnancy centers to post signage stating employed professionals are not licensed by the state. After lengthy floor debate yesterday, it passed in the Senate.

SS1 for SB 301- This bill will require public universities with student health centers to provide access to emergency contraception and prescription abortion medication. SS 1 for SB 301 passed in the Senate yesterday afternoon.

HB 140- This legislation, named "The Ron Silverio/Heather Block End of Life Options Law", but commonly referred to as Death with Dignity or medically assisted suicide, was heard in the Senate Executive Committee this week, and will likely be moving to the Senate floor for a vote before the end of session on June 30th.

Senate Substitute 3 for Senate Bill 4- This legislation, now on its fourth iteration, would overhaul Delaware's probation and parole system.

Previous versions of the legislation faced intense opposition from the state's law enforcement community and legislators on both sides of the aisle. SS3 for SB 4 is expected to come to the Senate Floor for a vote in the coming days.

SS1 for SB 180: This bill creates a Constitutional amendment which would allow convicted violent felons who are not imprisoned to have their voting rights restored. SS1 for SB 180 is expected to be on the Senate agenda before the end of session this year.

SB 262 and SB 274 Heard in Senate Energy, Environment and Transportation Committee Meeting

Two of my bills received hearings in the Senate Energy, Environment and Transportation Committee this week. Below is a summary of these pieces of legislation:

SB 262-This Act permits trucks having 5 or more axles that are hauling farm produce grown in this State and traveling from the farm on which the farm produce is grown to a location at which the farm produce is to be processed or stored, or from a location at which the farm produce is processed or stored to an export facility within this State, to weigh up to 90,000 pounds or combined manufacturer’s gross combined weight rating (GCWR), whichever is less, before a penalty is assessed for exceeding weight restrictions. A truck hauling farm produce is granted this increased weight limit if the truck complies with several conditions aimed at ensuring public safety. Surrounding states have similar increased weight limits for hauling farm produce.

SB 274- This act provides that the developer of a residential subdivision is provided a percentage credit towards the expense of offsite improvements to state-maintained highways consistent with the percentage of units set aside for affordable housing in a residential subdivision project. This bill has been placed on the Senate Agenda for Tuesday, June 18th.

DelDOT Announces Closure of Johnson Road Between Lawson Road and Avalon Road in Georgetown

The Delaware Department of Transportation announces the closure of Johnson Road between Lawson Road and Avalon Road starting on Monday, June 24th through Friday, July 5th (weather permitting) for the installation of a crossroad pipe.

Detour - Eastbound motorist on Johnson Road will make a right turn onto Avalon Road, a left turn onto Lawson Road and return to Johnson Road.

Westbound motorist on Johnson Road will make a left turn onto Lawson Road, right turn onto Avalon Road and return to Johnson Road.

For more information, visit DelDOT's website at www.deldot.gov or tune to WTMC-AM 1380.