This Week in Dover

By Tyler Micik

Today wraps up an eventful week in Dover. On Wednesday, the State Chamber held its End-of-Session Policy Conference, where policymakers discussed key issues making their way through the General Assembly, such as personal income taxes, pay transparency, energy costs, permitting fees and more.

Several bills that the Delaware State Chamber is following saw action this week, including:
 
HB 164 (Transportation Trust Fund): The act attempts to stabilize the Transportation Trust Fund by adding additional registration fees for electric, plug-in hybrid, non-plug-in hybrid, and alternative fuel vehicles to compensate for lost fuel tax revenue. It sets various fee increases related to licensing, registration, and vehicle documentation.

• State Chamber Position: Support. The State Chamber signed onto this coalition letter. 
• Status: On the House Ready List

 
HB 162 (Multilevel Distribution Company): Establishes new requirements on direct selling businesses in an effort to enhance consumer protection, including a mandatory waiting period before signing up as a direct seller, detailed disclosure requirements, and a three-month right of rescission for participants.

• State Chamber Position: Opposed
• Status: On the House Ready List

 
SB 89 (Credit Card Transactions): Prohibits a seller that regularly accepts payment by credit card from (1) imposing a credit card surcharge greater than the percentage processing fee charged by the credit card company, for transactions of $1,500 or less, and (2) refusing to accept payment by credit card or imposing any credit card surcharge for transactions that exceed $1,500.

• State Chamber Position: Engaged and gathering feedback
• Status: Heard in the Senate Executive Committee (not yet released as of 3:30 p.m. on 5/22)

House Bill 174 was introduced this week. The bill imposes a surcharge on business, residential, wireless, and prepaid wireless services that will be used to fund suicide assistance services for families of individuals who have died by suicide. The fee is 12 cents per month on subscription services or 12 cents per retail transaction for prepaid services. Any funds in excess of $5 million at the end of the fiscal year will be returned to the general fund.
 
In 2023, the General Assembly passed a similar bill, HS 2 for HB 160, which established a 60-cent per month, per line fee on phone lines and a 60-cent one-time fee on prepaid services to help fund the state’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. HB 174 would be an additional fee on top of this. It has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, and the State Chamber is seeking feedback from our members on the bill.

The General Assembly is on Joint Finance Committee markup for the next two weeks and will return to session on Tuesday, June 10. Upon return, lawmakers will have only nine session days left to pass any bills they plan to get done for the year. It’s important to note that any pending legislation, not defeated or enacted, will carry over to next year. As session winds down, the State Chamber will continue to advocate for our members. If you have any thoughts or questions on the bills mentioned above or others, please reach out to me at [email protected].