By Tyler Micik
Today wraps up a busy week in Dover. Many bills saw movement that the State Chamber is following, including SB 63 (General Contractor Liability), SB 46 (Autonomous Vehicles), HS 1 for HB 48 (Accessible Parking Spaces), and SB 130 (Expanded Polystyrene Foam Products). SB 63 (General Contractor Liability): Makes a general contractor responsible for a subcontractor’s compliance with Chapter 35 by making the general contractor jointly and severally liable for restitution and penalties assessed against the subcontractor. State Chamber Position: Opposed Status: Passed the Senate and assigned to the House Labor Committee SB46 (Autonomous Vehicles): Requires a human observer to be physically present in all autonomous vehicles that require a Class A commercial driver license without an O restriction—meaning tractor-trailers or trucks transporting large loads. State Chamber Position: Opposed Status: Released from the House Transportation Committee and placed on the House Ready List HS 1 for HB 48 (Accessible Parking Spaces): This act makes changes to Delaware law to better regulate, define, and enforce accessible parking spaces in Delaware, including the following:
Status: Released from the House Health & Human Development Committee and placed on the House Ready List SB 130 (Expanded Polystyrene Foam Products): Prohibits retail stores and wholesalers from selling, distributing, or offering for sale expanded polystyrene foam products, including expanded polystyrene foam food service packaging, expanded polystyrene foam coolers used for cold storage of food, and expanded polystyrene foam loose fill packaging. State Chamber Position: Working with the sponsor to amend the bill. Status: Released from the Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee and placed on the Senate Ready List Lastly, a proposal that the State Chamber opposed failed to receive a motion to be released from committee--HB 115 (Weight/Height/Body Size Discrimination). The bill prohibits discrimination based on weight, height, or body size in transportation, public accommodation, housing, commerce and trade, employment, jury selection, education, and public administration. The State Chamber provided the following testimony against the bill: “This Bill imposes broad and ambiguous requirements that may create significant compliance burdens and legal uncertainties for employers. The definitions could increase employers' exposure to discrimination claims, even in the absence of any evidence. This uncertainty could lead to costly litigation and administrative challenges, especially for small and mid-sized businesses that lack the resources to handle these claims. Lastly, employers may have legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons for considering physical characteristics in certain job functions, such as safety-related roles. This does not allow for such considerations, potentially placing employers in a position of having to choose between compliance and workplace safety. We oppose HB 115.” The State Chamber remains committed to advocating for our members and will continue to engage on these bills, among others, through June 30. As we approach the final weeks of session, we invite you to join us at the End-of-Session Policy Conference next Wednesday, where we’ll be discussing several of these key issues. For more information, please contact me at [email protected].
0 Comments
The General Assembly returned to session this week after a two-week break. One bill of note that saw movement was HS 1 for HB 105. The bill was released from the House Labor Committee and has been placed on the House Ready List. The bill requires businesses with over 25 employees to post salary or wage ranges in job advertisements and to maintain detailed records of job descriptions and compensation histories for each employee. It also grants the Delaware Department of Labor enforcement authority and imposes penalties for violations. The State Chamber is opposed to the bill and offered the following testimony: “We want to recognize and thank Representative Ross Levin for engaging with the business community and making thoughtful changes to the bill. The exemption for employers with 25 or fewer employees, removing the requirement to internally post all job openings, and extending the law’s effective date by two years represent meaningful progress. However, while HS 1 for HB 105 is a step in the right direction, we remain concerned that it still presents significant challenges—especially for small and mid-sized businesses. Many of these businesses do not have dedicated HR teams or legal counsel to manage the complexities of compliance. Public pay disclosures may lead to unrealistic expectations, disrupt workplace culture, and weaken a company’s ability to negotiate individualized compensation packages. We support efforts to promote fairness and equity in the workplace, but we believe this legislation needs more time and refinement to ensure it doesn't put Delaware employers—especially small businesses—at a disadvantage. We oppose HS 1 for HB 105 and look forward to continued collaboration to amend the bill and craft balanced policy that works for both employers and employees.” House Bill 135, known as the Dr. DeBorah Gilbert White Anti-Cruelty to Delawareans Experiencing Homelessness Act was introduced this week. The Act establishes certain protections for individuals experiencing homelessness, including:
The State Chamber is seeking feedback on the bill. If you have thoughts, please let me know at [email protected]. Next week, the State Chamber will host its Small Business Day in Dover event on Thursday, May 15th at Legislative Hall. The following week, on Wednesday, May 21st, End-of-Session Policy Conference will be held at Delaware State University in Dover. This annual event brings together business leaders, policymakers, and influential voices to discuss critical legislation and policy priorities before the General Assembly adjourns on June 30th. Attendees will hear legislative updates from Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown and Senate President Pro Tempore David Sokola, as well as policy spotlights on key bills related to pay transparency, energy costs, and permitting fees, presented by Rep. Ross Levin, Sen. Hansen, and Sec. Patterson, respectively. You can learn more and register here. Sponsorship opportunities are still available! Please contact Kerri Welcher at [email protected]. By Tyler Micik
As the General Assembly continues its 153rd session, the State Chamber remains actively engaged on several issues that could have significant implications for Delaware’s business community. From pay transparency to updates to Delaware’s corporate law, the diversity of proposed legislation reflects the evolving challenges facing our members. In March, Governor Meyer presented his FY 2026 budget reset—totaling over $6.58 billion, which is about a 7.4% increase over this year’s budget, while the state’s revenue is only expected to grow by 1.9%. To help close this gap, the budget calls for the creation of three new personal income tax brackets for those who make $125,000; $250,000; and $500,000, along with raising the cigarette tax by 50 cents. That said, expenses are outpacing revenues, and determining what gets funded—and what doesn’t— will require making some hard decisions. There are several bills the State Chamber is particularly engaged on that recently passed or are making their way through the legislative process. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 21 was passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Meyer in late March. The bill amends Delaware’s corporate law by providing clearer frameworks for transactions involving interested parties and refining stockholder rights to provide legal clarity and predictability for corporations—essential qualities in maintaining Delaware’s status as the nation’s preferred place of incorporation. The State Chamber has always been committed to supporting policies that are in the best interest of our state, and this is no exception. That said, the State’s reliance on substantial sums of money coming from outside its borders to fuel government spending demonstrates the need for pro-growth policies and the diversification of its economy. House Bill 105, pay transparency, is another bill that our members have expressed concerns over. The bill requires businesses with 11 or more employees to post salary or wage ranges in all job advertisements, both internally and externally, and to maintain detailed records of job descriptions and compensation histories for each employee. It also grants the Delaware Department of Labor enforcement authority and imposes penalties for violations. While we support the goals of pay transparency and equity, the bill’s strict compliance requirements, potential for costly penalties, and administrative burden pose challenges for employers, especially small businesses. Additionally, wage ranges can vary based on market demand, candidate experience, and other dynamic factors. Requiring rigid disclosures risks reducing flexibility in hiring and may unintentionally deter some businesses from expanding or posting new roles. For example, in states where pay transparency laws are already in effect, a common concern among employers is that once salary ranges are posted, current employees may expect to be paid at the top of the range, leading to internal dissatisfaction and tension. These postings could also encourage more job shopping and higher employee turnover, potentially driving wage inflation and putting small businesses at risk of closure. Other bills we are following include Senate Bill 63, general contractor liability; House Bill 84, employer-sponsored meetings and communications; House Substitute 1 for House Bill 13, personal income tax changes; Senate Bill 89, credit card transactions; House Bill 111, single-use food service items; House Bill 115, discrimination based on weight, height or body size; and a draft chatbot disclosure bill. The State Chamber remains committed to advocating for our members and will continue to work on these bills through June 30. To stay informed, we hope you will consider joining one of the State Chamber’s policy committees and attending our Small Business Day in Dover on May 15 or End-of-Session Policy Conference on May 21. For more information, please contact me at [email protected]. The General Assembly wraps up a busy week today and will go on spring recess for two weeks. They’ll return to session on Tuesday, May 6, with 18 session days remaining. One bill of note heard in committee was HB 57, which pertains to home construction contracts. The State Chamber is opposed to the bill as written because it limits deposits in a way that forces small contractors to front material costs out-of-pocket, something many simply can’t afford. It also requires work to begin within thirty days of receiving a 50% deposit, regardless of supply chain delays. The bill was tabled in committee.
A substitute bill to HB 48 (accessible parking spaces) was introduced this week. You can view the bill here. The Act adds provisions to Title 21 to better regulate, define, and enforce accessible parking spaces in Delaware. The Delaware State Chamber is seeking feedback on the bill. Although the General Assembly is on break, our work continues, and we’ll be having conversations on these and other key bills like HB 105 (pay transparency) and HS 1 for HB 13 (personal income tax changes), among others. The Delaware State Chamber will also be discussing these topics at our End of Session Policy Conference on May 21. Attendees will hear about key bills before the General Assembly from the policymakers sponsoring them, as well as from Speaker of the House Melissa Minor-Brown and Senate President Pro Tempore David Sokola, who will share their respective chambers’ priorities ahead of adjournment. Register here > The General Assembly wrapped up its first week back in session from bond break today, and it was an eventful week filled with committee hearings, bill introductions, and Governor Meyer’s State of the State address—during which Governor Meyer “called for decisive action on key priorities including education reform, affordable housing, accessible health care, workforce development, and efficient government operations.” You can view the speech text here and video recording here.
One bill of note that saw movement this week, which the State Chamber is following, was SB 63. The bill was released from the Senate Labor Committee and moves to the Senate Ready List. The State Chamber is opposed to the bill and offered the following testimony: “Under this proposal a general contractor could be disbarred for the acts of a sub-contractor they have no legal relationship with. If the main issue behind this proposal is workplace fraud at a sub-contractor level, this is not the solution. No one wants to protect bad actors. But let’s not punish the vast majority of general contractors and our members who are doing the right thing. If subs are misclassifying workers, why are they not held accountable instead? This proposal only increases risk for general contractors and in turn increases costs on consumers because they’ll need additional bonding insurance. Finally, we worry that this proposal could unintentionally hurt small, new, or minority-owned subcontractors. The risk here would be magnified because these newer businesses have no track record of classifying their workers, so why would a general contractor take on that added risk? We understand the underlying premise of the bill, however, collectively we need to use current laws to go after bad actors and not assume everyone is bad or a risk to their employees. We oppose SB 63.” Also, several other bills were introduced this week, including HB 111, HB 115, and SB 104. HB 111, known as the “Skip the Stuff Act,” prohibits food establishments from providing any single-use food service items, whether plastic or not, unless specifically requested by a customer. HB 115 prohibits discrimination based on weight, height, or body size in transportation, public accommodation, housing, commerce and trade, employment, jury selection, education, and public administration. SB 104 defines what a trauma kit is and sets forth certain requirements for certain property owners or entities regarding the number of kits they must have, their location, and communications to tenants about the kits. Next week is the last week of session for the General Assembly before they adjourn for spring break for two weeks. If you have questions about any of these bills or others the State Chamber is following—like HB 105 (Pay Transparency); HB 84 (Employer-Sponsored Meetings and Communications); HS 1 for HB 13 (Personal Income Taxes); and SB 89 (Credit Card Transactions)—please let me know at [email protected]. By Tyler Micik
This was a busy week for the Delaware General Assembly – especially the House of Representatives. Most notably, SS 1 for SB 21 was passed by the House and signed by the Governor. The bill makes changes to Delaware’s corporation law. The State Chamber and Delaware Business Roundtable released a joint statement on the bill in mid-March. Earlier today, Governor Meyer presented his FY26 budget reset. His plan includes updating Delaware’s tax code by adding three new tax brackets of $125,000, $250,000, and $500,000. It also includes investments in education, housing, healthcare, and government efficiency and transparency. You can watch the full recording of his budget address here. Additionally, there are several bills which we are seeking our members' feedback on, including:
The General Assembly has bond hearings next week and will return to session on Tuesday, April 8th. We expect some of these bills to be heard in committee when they return. If you have any questions or feedback on any of these, please contact me at [email protected]. Today wrapped up a busy week in Dover in which several bills saw movement.
Earlier this week, Representative Ross Levin shared a draft “salary transparency” bill and requested feedback from our members. You can view the draft bill here > The bill would require that employers disclose the following in internal and external job postings: (1) The hourly or salary compensation or the hourly or salary compensation range; (2) A general description of the benefits and other compensation applicable to the job opportunity; and (3) The date the application window is anticipated to close. It also requires internal postings to be provided to all employees on the same day or earlier than an external posting. Employers are required to maintain records relating to job descriptions and wage rates. The Department of Labor is empowered to enforce and investigate alleged violations. We ask that employers review this draft and send any feedback or reactions to me at [email protected]. While Rep. Ross Levin gave a deadline for feedback of Thursday, March 20, we will continue to communicate any comments we receive to her. However, if you find this issue to be concerning, we encourage you to share your thoughts directly with Representative Ross Levin or your local representative. Thank you for staying engaged. Your input helps shape our advocacy efforts and ensures the unified voice of Delaware’s business community is heard. Updates on these bills and others will be continued to be provided as we move through session. Today wraps up the first week back for the General Assembly from Joint Finance Committee break. Several bills which the State Chamber is engaged on saw movement.
Of note, SS 1 for SB 21 passed the Senate and now moves to the House for consideration. The bill updates Delaware’s corporate law. The Delaware State Chamber and Delaware Business Roundtable released the following joint statement: “Delaware has been the incorporating jurisdiction of choice for businesses seeking balance and predictability in matters of corporate law for generations. In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, changes to Delaware’s corporate law are inevitable. As a result, it is essential that adjustments are carefully and collaboratively considered. We applaud Governor Meyer and the General Assembly for their leadership in addressing Delaware’s corporate franchise in the face of competition from other states that do not have the distinctive advantages of Delaware corporate law, including its expert judges on the Court of Chancery, talented corporate bar, rich caseload of decisions, and the willingness of its elected leaders to ensure that Delaware remains the gold standard for corporate law. Accordingly, the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and the Delaware Business Roundtable support Senate Bill 21. Delaware’s business community has always been committed to supporting policies that are in the best interest of our state. The State’s reliance on substantial sums coming from outside of the state to fuel state government spending demonstrates the need for pro-growth policies and diversification of the Delaware economy.” Other bills that saw movement included SB 59, 60, and 61 related to public utilities. All were released from the Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee and placed on the Senate Ready List. The State Chamber testified in opposition to SB 60 and 61. Other bills introduced and awaiting consideration:
Please let me know if any of these bills impact your business. Lastly, our 2025-2026 Legislative Roster is now available in both print and electronic formats! If you’d like to place a Roster order, please complete this form and return it to me at [email protected]. The General Assembly returns to session next week following a five-week break for Joint Finance Committee (JFC) hearings. Prior to the break, several business-related bills and resolutions were introduced and saw movement, such as SB 46, HB 13, and SCR 12.
Of note, SCR 12 establishes a Retail Crime Prevention Task Force, on which the State Chamber has a seat. The group will examine and recommend courses of legislative, regulatory, operational, and judicial action that consider or address retail crime broadly. The co-chairs of the task force are directed to compile a report containing a summary of its work regarding the issues assigned to it, including any findings and recommendations, no later than Feb. 1, 2026. The State Chamber looks forward to serving on the task force and is grateful for the opportunity to help provide meaningful solutions to combat organized retail crime—which is a top priority of the Delaware Retail Council, an affiliate of the State Chamber and the National Retail Federation. Governor Meyer also issued a couple of key executive orders that the State Chamber supports, including Executive Order (EO) #1 and Executive Order #4. EO #1 establishes a statewide working group tasked with developing proposed processes and policies to expand youth apprenticeships and workforce development across the state. EO #4 establishes a working group to develop a plan to create a “one-stop shop” for projects in all three counties to streamline permits and licenses. While the actions above are good news for businesses, challenges lie ahead. ... This, combined with the uncertainty around what’s happening nationally regarding tariffs, federal funding freezes, and statements of intent from a few notable CEOs to reincorporate their companies outside Delaware, is raising feelings of uncertainty among businesses, policymakers, and consumers alike. I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: We’re in a time of uncertain and uncharted economic territory. In good economic times, policy decisions can afford to be “roughly right,” but in times like the present, policy decisions must be more accurate than ever before. This includes decisions like the ones mentioned above, as well as the state’s budget. Over the next few months, the State Chamber looks forward to working with policymakers to support our members. It’s our goal to support policies that solve businesses’ needs and provide them with the predictability they are looking for so that Delaware can thrive and remain a competitive place to do business. To stay up to date on what’s happening in Dover or join one of our policy committees, contact me at [email protected]. Next week, the General Assembly will go on Joint Finance Committee break and return to session on Tuesday, March 11. Here’s an overview of what has happened this month:
EXECUTIVE ORDERS
The State Chamber supports these orders and applauds Governor Meyer on prioritizing apprenticeships and streamlining Delaware’s housing permit process. Both issues are top priorities in our 2025 Competitiveness Agenda. GOVERNOR'S CABINET The Senate confirmed Governor Meyer’s 16 cabinet nominees. Their names are listed below. The State Chamber congratulates these Cabinet members on their confirmation and looks forward to working with them to improve Delaware's business community.
FRESHMAN LEGISLATORS AND LEADERSHIP CHANGES
BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS
|
Archives
May 2025
Categories
All
|