State of Delaware & Federal
Health Related & Healthcare Operational Legislation
As Tracked by the
Delaware Healthcare Association

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Delaware Senate Bills
Delaware House Bills
Federal Legislation

 

This Page Last Updated: 05/14/2008

View legislation from previous General Assembly Sessions, click here.

Listing of Delaware’s United States Senators and Congressman, click here.

Listing of Delaware’s State Senators and State Representatives, click here.

Glossary of Legislative Terms, click here to see listing of terms.

144th
Delaware General Assembly
Second Session
January – June 2008

To view the Delaware General Assembly Site, click here.

To view bills passed in a previous session of the General Assembly, click here.

Delaware Senate Bills
To view the bill and the current status, click on the bill number.

Bill Number

Description 

Status

SB 6 with SA 1

Amends Title 18 and creates the Delaware Health Insurance Pool, a statewide health insurance purchasing pool to allow individuals and small businesses to obtain the most favorable premiums possible from the private insurance market.

Senate – Passed

House – Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee

SB 10

Makes the Domestic Partner of a State of Delaware regular officer, employee, or eligible pensioner entitled to the same benefits provided to the spouse of a State employee or pensioner. Employees of Labor Unions and Delaware Authorities and Commissions covered under Title 29, Chapter 52 are also included.

Senate – Finance Committee

SB 24

Amends Title 29 of the Delaware Code relating to the Promotion of Cooperation, Partnerships, and the Exchange of Information across the Mid-Atlantic Region providing Delaware’s participation in the collaborative scientific and technology organization referred to as the SMART (Strengthening the Mid-Atlantic Region for Tomorrow) to promote cooperating partnerships, and the exchange of information.

Senate – Passed

House – Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee

SB 37 with SA 1

Amends Title 18 of the Delaware Code to Rates and Rating Organizations by granting the Delaware Insurance Department the same ability to review health insurance premium rates that it now has for auto insurance, homeowners insurance, and all other lines of property and casualty insurance.

Senate - Passed

House - Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee

SB 38

Amends Title 24, Pharmacy; Requires wholesale distributors of prescription drugs to be licensed by the Delaware Board of Pharmacy. Creates a paper pedigree statement and requires verifiable documentation of drug sales as they occur outside the normal drug distribution chain in order to preserve the legitimate distribution of drugs and keep suspect medicines out of circulation.

Senate - Stricken

SB 46

Reinstitutes the requirement of wearing a safety helmet and eye protection while operating or riding on a motorcycle.

Senate - Public Safety Committee

SB 58 with SA 1 & SA 2

Establishes a regulatory system for medical discount cards, i.e. cards sold to individuals which offer them a discount on medical services with certain health care providers. The bill provides a specific set of rules that entities selling medical discount cards must follow in order to protect consumers, and a regulator structure which will allow the state to enforce those rules.

Senate – Passed

House –Out of Committee

SB 65

Requires a minimum of five escalating tiers of reimbursement for child care be established based on quality of care, and the Division of Social Services promulgate regulations

Senate – Children, Youth & Their Families Committee

SB 66

Continues the current practice of conducting a fair market rate study to determine the average cost of child care in the three counties. The bill requires a minimum reimbursement rate of 75% of the average be in place within two years of the date of enactment.

Senate – Finance Committee

SB 97 with SA 1

Amends Delaware False Claims and Reporting Act to meet the guidelines set forth by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) for Delaware to receive a 10% increase above the state share in all Medicaid fraud recoveries. Also streamlines and updates the procedures for handling qui tam cases by the Department of Justice (DOJ) office. Adds two liability provisions to provide for liability when a person or entity learns after the fact that it benefited from incorrect payments by, or submissions of incorrect claims to, the government, and then fails to tell the government about it. Also provides a posting requirement for employers to post a summary of this Act. Finally, this Act provides for a limited amount of the state’s recoveries under this Act to be used to fund the false claims litigation efforts by the DOJ.

Senate – Passed

House – Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee

SB 103

Creates a procedure by which youth in foster care turning 18 and found by the Family Court to be amenable to such assistance, have the ability to request the extension of jurisdiction of the Family Court and the Department of Services for Children Youth and Their Families to supplement their own efforts at transitions from adolescence to adulthood. The bill brings the state into compliance with the Federal Chafee legislation by complementing the individual efforts of the young adult in making successful transitions in areas of housing, medical, education, employment and training, and other services available from adult services providers.

Senate – Finance Committee

SB 107

Brings the decisions on colorectal cancer screening under the auspices of national guidelines as defined by the American College of Gastroenterology in consultation with the American Cancer Society.

Senate – Health & Social Services Committee

SB 108 with SA 1 & SA 3

Clarifies the role of the Office of Radiation Control, establishes progressive administrative penalties, establishes annual x-ray machine registration fees, requires any fee created by the Authority on Radiation Protection to be approved by the General Assembly and administered through the General Fund, and makes other technical changes.

Senate – Passed

House - Appropriations Committee

SB 134 with SA 1 & SA 2

Creates a referendum process for the Bethany Beach Fire Company to create and finance an emergency ambulance services to serve the Bethany Beach Station 70 Fire District.

Senate – Laid on Table

SB 138 with SA 1

Updates Title 16, Chapters 100 and 101, as it relates to advancements in the enhanced 911 Emergency Number Service as well as includes non-traditional telecommunications services. It further authorizes the E911 Board to conduct annual audits as they relate to service charges and cost recovery for E911 services.

Signed Into Law 01/24/2008

SB 141

Prohibits discrimination against persons on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment, public works contracting, public accommodations, and insurance. Also grants the Superior Court exclusive criminal jurisdiction over violations of equal accommodations, fair housing, and employment discrimination and deletes the addition to the Recorder of Deeds’ duties.

Senate – Insurance & Elections Committee
SS 1 for SB 156 Amend Article XV of the Constitution of the State of Delaware to add "Section 11. A marriage between a man and a woman is the only legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this state." This is the first leg of a constitutional amendment to prohibit recognition of same sex marriages or other same gender legal relationships - whether originally created in Delaware or elsewhere. Senate - Executive Committee
SB 167 Creates the Community College Infrastructure Fund account within the Department of Finance, which will eventually be used to pay the principal and interest on general obligation bonds issued by the State to finance major and minor capital projects and deferred maintenance for Delaware Technical & Community College. (also see SCR 22) Senate - Finance Committee
SS1 for SB 168 with SA 2 Relates to the transfer or closure of chemical or hazardous substance establishments and to establish a contractor certification program for hazardous substance cleanup sites.

Awaiting Governor's Signature
SB 174 with HA 1 Amends Title 21 of the Delaware Code Relating to Child Helmet Requirements.

Senate - Laid on Table

House - Passed
SB 175 Amends Title 16 of the Delaware Code Relating to Nursing Facilities and Similar Facilities. Includes revisions to Eagle's Law (minimum staffing requirements). Senate - Finance Committee
SB 177 Amends Title 31 of the Delaware Code Relating to the Delaware Health Security Act, which provides all current and future Delaware citizens and with our economy a non-government run program and cost effective single payer health care system. Senate - Finance Committee
SB 200 Amends Title 16 of the Delaware Code Relating to the Delaware Healthy Children Program. Removes the provision that participants in the Delaware Healthy Children Program pay a premium to participate, while allowing the Department of Health and Social Services to consider instituting minimal co-payments for health services in order to recover a portion of the revenue that would be lost due to the absence of premium payments. Senate - Finance Committee
SB 204 with SA 1 Increases the minimum wage from $7.15 per hour to $7.75 per hour effective March 1, 2009 and from $7.75 per hour to $8.25 per hour effective March 1, 2010.

Senate - Passed

House - Labor Committee
SB 207 with SA 1 Makes changes to the language of the Medical Practice Act to state that before the Board of Medical Practice can approve an applicant for a certification to practice medicine, the Board shall have the applicant's criminal history report or a statement from the proper authorities that there is no criminal history.

Senate - Passed

House - Policy Analysis & Government Accountability Committee
SB 235 Makes cancer incidence rates available to health professionals and to the public by census tract, thereby enabling cancer clusters to be identified. Senate - Out of Committee
SB 244 Amends Title 8 of the Delaware Code relating to the General Corporation Law. Senate - Judiciary Committee
SB 246 Amends Title 29 of the Delaware Code relating to Notaries Public.  The amendments include electronic notarization, update of current notary laws, and increases notary commission fees.  If passed, the bill would take effect on February 1, 2009. Senate - Banking Committee
SCR 24 Establishes a Task Force to consider the need for adjustments to and/or revisions of Eagle's Law enacted in 2000 to establish minimum staffing levels for residential health facilities (also see SR 11)

Senate - Passed

House - Policy Analysis & Government Accountability Committee
SCR 38 Establishes a task force to study the feasibility of establishing a burn camp in Delaware.

Senate - Passed

House - Passed

SJR 4

Establishing the Medicaid Modernization Task Force to study and make findings and recommendations regarding the use of Disproportionate Share Hospital Funds, the efficiency of providing managed care services to the long term care segment of the Medicaid population, and possible methods of encouraging individuals to take advantage of health insurance provided by employers.

Senate – Health & Social Services Committee
SR 11 Establishes a Task Force to consider the need for adjustments to and/or revisions of Eagle's Law, enacted in 2000 to establish minimum staffing levels for residential health facilities (also see SCR 24) Senate - Passed

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Delaware House of Representatives Bills
To view the bill and the current status, click on the bill number

Bill Number

  

Description

Status

HB 20

Amends Title 21 of the Delaware Code relating to Rules of the Road by banning open containers of alcoholic beverages in motor vehicles and provides a civil penalty for an offense that is not entered on a driver’s record.

House – Passed

Senate - Executive Committee

HB 26

Creates a $100.00 tax credit per unit for any business placing an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) in service within the State.

House - Stricken

HB 35

Establishment and duties of a Healthcare Inspector General in the Division of Public Health. The Healthcare Inspector General must be a licensed Delaware physician and will have three staff members. The Healthcare Inspector General and staff will have oversight of the execution of medical services pursuant to the provisions of healthcare contracts between the Department of Corrections and vendors of healthcare services, including the review of all aspects of the operation of healthcare contracts, as well as review of the care and treatment of individual prisoners, as needed. (Note: similar to HB 88)

House – Health & Human Development Committee

HB 36 with HA 1 & HA 2

Creates a uniform cease and desist authority for the Boards (professional licensing and certification boards). The legislation further authorizes the Boards to establish and impose administrative fines against persons who violate such cease and desist orders, subject to the hearing and review procedures of this Chapter.

House – Passed
Senate – Out of Committee

HB 65

Limits Artificial Trans Fats in food available or served to students in public schools, including charter schools.

House – Out of Committee

HB 76

Delaware Human Cloning Prohibition Act.

House - Health & Human Development Committee

HB 88

Establishment and Duties of a Healthcare Inspector General in the Division of Public Health.The Inspector General must be a licensed Delaware physician. He/She will be assisted by three staff members who specific positions will be designated by the Director of Public Health. The Healthcare Inspector and his/her staff are charged with the oversight of the execution of medical services pursuant to the provisions of healthcare contracts between the Department of Corrections and vendors of healthcare services, including the review of all aspects of the operation of healthcare contracts, as well as the review of the care and treatment of individual prisoners, as needed. (Note: similar to HB 35)

House - Health & Human Development Committee

HB 94

Creates the Adult Correction Healthcare Review Committee (Committee) composed of 9 members who are charged with advising the Correction Commissioner on matters relating to the provision of adult inmate health services, the review of all inmate deaths and autopsies relating to those deaths, the construction of healthcare contracts, and the review of all statistics relating to inmate healthcare. The bill specifies activities the Committee must perform and gives the Committee the latitude to review other matters relating to adult inmate healthcare the Committee considers reasonable and worthwhile.

In addition, the bill requires the Commissioner of the Department of Correction to request the Committee be contacted and be allowed to contribute to any survey or evaluation conducted by the National Commission of Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) or the American Correctional Association (ACA).

The Committee must submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the state of inmate healthcare in Delaware’s adult correction system.

House – Out of Committee

HB 101
with HA 2

Implements a requirement of the Federal Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 to require all health insurers to provide eligibility and coverage information to the State Medicaid Agency, when the State requires such information.

Signed Into Law
02/04/2008

HB 104

Amends the Delaware Code relating to paramedic and other emergency medical service systems. The bill revises the paramedic practice standards by adopting professional standards established in other licensing laws, such as the Medical Practice Act. This includes: (1) using the term “unprofessional conduct” as the basis for revoking, suspending or otherwise restricting a paramedic’s certificate; and (2) establishing a hearing process mirroring the one currently used by the Board of Medical Practice.

House - Health & Human Development Committee

HB 105

Creates a Pharmacy Benefit Manager Practices Act to establish standards and criteria for the regulation, solvency, and licensing of Pharmacy Benefit Managers.

House - Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee

HS 1 for
HB 106

Delaware Certified Professional Midwives Licensure Act – Amends the Delaware Code related to Midwives. The bill inserts a new Chapter 6 Certified Professional Midwives and establishes criteria for licensure. In addition, it establishes The Certified Professional Midwifery Council as the professional Board to oversee licensure. In addition there are reporting requirements for licensed midwives.

House – Health & Human Development Committee

HB 110

Group and Blanket Health Insurance. The bill states “Any group or blanket insurance policy which is delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, extended or modified in this State by any health insurer and which provides coverage for adults shall be deemed to provide coverage for infertility treatment. The amount of reimbursement for infertility treatment provided under such a policy shall be consistent with reimbursement of other medical expenses under the policy, including the imposition of co-payment, coinsurance, deductible, or any dollar limit or other cost-sharing provisions otherwise applicable under the policy. This Act shall become effective July 1, 2008.

House – Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee

HB 123

Urgent and Preventative Dental Care for Pregnant Medicaid Recipients. The bill expands Delaware’s Public Assistance Code to provide urgent and preventative dental care for eligible Medicaid recipients who are pregnant or become pregnant while receiving assistance.

House – Appropriations Committee

HB 124

The bill permits minors 16 and older to donate blood without parental consent.

House – Out of Committee

HB 125

The bill eliminates the sunset provision applicable to the Hearing Aid Loan Bank Program.

House – Stricken

HB 128

Delaware Healthy Children Program (CHIP). This bill extends Delaware’s CHIP program to include reduced-cost health insurance coverage of children for families with personal incomes up to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level and confirms the CHIP shall continue to provide health insurance coverage of children for families with personal incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

House – Out of Committee

HB 129
with HA 1

This bill creates a Family Support Coordinating Council to provide for an improved quality of services for Delaware’s families and children. The Council’s mission will be to assist with parent-child interactions, efficient use of health care services, children’s development and detection of developmental delays, and reduce the frequency and severity of child abuse and neglect.

House – Passed
Senate – Children, Youth & Families Committee

HB 139

This bill requires all public and private post-secondary schools, colleges, and universities with more than one building to install and use sirens to warn students and others of serious health or safety issues. The penalty for a violation of this bill is a fine of up to $10,000. The intent of this bill is to warn of danger, like the sirens that warn local residents of escapees from nearby prison facilities.

House – Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee

HB 166

Creates a presumption that a covered firefighter who has heart disease, hypertension, lung disease, or certain other cancers contracted the occupational disease arising out of and in the course of actions in the line of duty.

House –Out of Committee

HB 167

Hospital and other health care facilities Visitation Policy - Allows each adult patient to receive visits in a hospital from any individual from who the patient desires to receive visits, subject to certain restrictions contained in the hospital’s visitation policy related to the patient’s medical condition, the number of visitors permitted in the patient’s room simultaneously, and the hospital’s visitation hours. In addition, the bill requires the hospital to honor advance health-care directives and any similar documents, subject to certain limitations set forth in the bill. This bill also applies to nursing homes, rest homes, boarding homes, retirement homes, rehabilitation homes, hospices, and related institutions as defined in Title 16 Chapter 25, and Title 12 Chapter 49.

House – Out of Committee

HB 169

Establishes the Delaware Hospital Quality Report Card Act of 2007.

House – Health & Human Development Committee

HB 209 with SA 1

Permits a parent, guardian or custodian suffering from a progressive chronic or terminal illness to make plans for interim or permanent future care of a child without terminating the parental or legal rights of the parent, guardian, or custodian.

Awaiting Governor's Signature
HB 212
with SA 2 & HA 2		 Expands the coverage of the Child Safe School Zone Act to include other areas that children may gather such as parks, recreation facilities, athletic fields, playgrounds, skating rinks, neighborhood centers, gymnasiums, school bus stops, swimming pools, dance studios, or karate centers. The Act ensures enhanced protection for children while not unduly limiting access to public areas for sex offenders by prohibiting those offenders from those areas only (1) when children are there congregated, (2) when the offender is present with no specific or legitimate reason.

House - Passed

Senate - Judiciary Committee

HB 217

Enables Small Businesses in the State, such as school bus contracting businesses, to participate in the State Group Health Insurance Program at no cost to the State, effective July 1, 2007.

House – Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee
HB 235 Requires Medical Providers to provide copies of the requested medical records within 45 days at the costs indicated. House - Stricken
HS 1 for HB 236 Updates the patient notification procedures for retiring physicians and deceased physicians' estates to permit former patients the opportunity to pick-up their medical records.

House - Passed

Senate - Out of Committee
HB 252 Ensures that all hazardous waste generated in this State is treated, stored, or disposed of in a safe manner that is protective of public health and the environment, and accordance to all existing and future Federal standards. The bill also prevents hazardous waste generated in this State to be sent outside of the United States. House - Energy and Natural Resources Committee
HB 260 Clarified the responsibilities of a Pharmacy Benefit Manager to pay electronic claims within 30 days by electronic funds. House - Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee
HB 262 Makes price gouging, during and within 30 days after a State of Emergency, illegal. In addition to any otherwise applicable civil or criminal liability, a violation of this section would be equal to a violation of the Consumer Fraud Act. House - Judiciary Committee
HB 265 Creates a Right to Work law in Delaware. House - Labor Committee
HB 267 Ensures individuals who are eligible for the Federal Medicare program due to a disability are able to purchase the same Medicare Supplement available to individuals eligible for Medicare due to age. House - Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee
HB 270 This Act is to stop the sale and delivery of prescription drugs to the residents of this State by unlicensed pharmacies. House - Policy Analysis & Government Accountability
HB 286 Amends Title 14 and Title 16 of the Delaware Code. Requires local school districts, vo-tech school districts, and the Department of Health and Social Services to take advantage of the right afforded by Title 7, Part 245 of the Code of Federal Regulations for school districts and State agencies to share data for the purpose of enrolling children in free or reduced price health insurance program (Delaware Healthy Children Program).

House - Passed

Senate - Out of Committee
HB 302 Amends Title 16, Chapter 27 Relating to Anatomical Gifts and Studies. This Act automatically enters all Delaware residents into the Organ and Tissue Donor Program, but allows an individual to opt-out of the program as described in the legislation. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HS 1 for HB 308 Provides for licensing of Professional Acupuncturists in the State of Delaware. House - Policy Analysis & Government Accountability
HB 313 This includes as a personal injury covered under Workers' Compensation - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. House - Labor Committee
HB 315 Permits more inclusiveness in the aging consumers representatives from aging consumers’ agencies to serve on the Council On Services For Aging And Adults with Physical Disabilities. House - Stricken
HB 319 Provides for coverage in individual, group, and blanket insurance policies delivered or issued for delivery to any person in this State for the use of anesthesia in colorectal screenings if the health care provider who is treating the participant or beneficiary believes the use of anesthesia is appropriate and beneficial.

House - Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee
HB 320 revises the membership of the Council on Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities to match exactly the qualifications for membership of the physical disability portion of the Board Senate - Out of Committee
HB 322 Provides that vaccines containing mercury may not be given to children under 8 yeas of age or to pregnant women, except under the special circumstances described in the bill.

House - Passed

Senate - Out of Committee
HB 327 Relating to the doctrine of Employment at Will and protection from wrongful termination. House - Labor Committee
HB 329 Implements the recommendations made by the State Fire Prevention Commission to the Governor in response to Executive Order No. 99 giving the Commission the authority to establish regulations governing audits of volunteer fire and ambulance companies and the power to impose sanctions for non-compliance.

House - Passed

Senate - Executive Committee
HB 330 Requires any student who received funding under the SEED Program and graduates from any of the nursing/medical programs offered at Delaware Technical and Community College or the University of Delaware, Associate in Arts Program, shall work in the State of Delaware for two (2) years following their date of graduation in the nursing/medical field. House - Education Committee
HS 1 for HB 340 Adds a representative from the Delaware Health Care Facilities Association to the Hospital Infection Advisory Board created under Title 16, Chapter 10A, Hospital Infections Disclosure Act.

House - Passed

Senate - Out of Committee
HB 343 with HA 2 & HA 1 to HA 2 Amends the definition in the criminal code to include the definition of electronically-controlled devices as a dangerous instrument under State law.

House - Passed

Senate - Judiciary Committee
HB 348 Allows for the current ex officio members of the Delaware Health Care Commission to include their respective deputies as members of the Commission. House - Out of Committee
HB 352 Establishes an Office of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke Prevention within the Division of Public Health. The office would promote health education, public awareness, and community outreach activities to improve access to treatment for and prevention of cardiovascular disease and stroke. House - Appropriations Committee
HB 355 with HA 2 Requires individual and group health insurance contracts to provide coverage for hearing aids of up to $1,000 per year, every three years, for covered dependents eighteen years of age or less.

House - Passed

Senate - Awaiting Committee Assignment
HB 359 Expands Delaware's Public Assistance Code to provide preventative and urgent dental care to all eligible Medicaid recipients. Payments for preventative or urgent dental care treatments shall be subject to a $10 recipient copay and the total amount of dental care assistance provided to an eligible recipient shall not exceed $1,000 per year, except that an additional $1,500 may be authorized on an emergency basis for urgent dental care treatments through a review process established by the State Dental Director. House - Out of Committee
HB 361 Removes the Sunset provision of the previous version of Subsection 3000A, allowing licensed practical nurses, under the supervision of registered nurses, to instruct students during the clinical phase of certified nursing assistant training programs. House - Out of Committee
HB 377 with HA 1 Provides for the licensing of professional acupuncturists in the State of Delaware.

House - Passed

Senate - Awaiting Committee Assignment
HB 378 Establishes a program and the criteria to certify acute care hospitals as primary stroke centers. House - Out of Committee
HB 379 Amends the Hearing Aid Loan Bank to expand eligibility for hearing aids to all children less than 18 years of age. Also allows the program manager to extend the original loan period for an additional 6-month period. House - Out of Committee
HB 381 Amends Title 16 of the Delaware Code relating to Advance Health-Care Directives and Health Care Information to enable an agent, surrogate, or guardian of the person to have full authority and standing under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), its regulations, and standards, to act as the personal representative under HIPAA, even if the advanced health-care directive, surrogate confirmation, or guardianship order does not expressly provide. House - Out of Committee
HB 384 Changes the order in which the right to dispose of a person's last remains devolves upon a decedent's death. House - Out of Committee
HB 386 Defines the ways that physicians and pharmacist can work together to improve a patients' health, minimize adverse medication reactions, and optimize medication therapy. House - Policy Analysis & Government Accountability Committee
HB 387 Amends the Hearing Aid Loan Bank to expand eligibility for hearing aids to all children less than 18 years of age. Also allows the program manager to extend the original loan period for an additional 6-month period. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 403 Creates a Mental Health Death Review Committee to assess deaths of individuals receiving residential mental health services through the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health or funded private providers. The purpose of the Committee is to assess causation; promote improvements in policies, practices, and the service delivery system; and reduce prospects for preventable deaths. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 404 Clarifies the role of the Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI), designated for the past 30 years as Delaware's Protection and Advocacy Agency pursuant to Federal law, in protecting patients and residents in nursing and similar facilities. As a complement to the existing protective system operated by the Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS), CLASI is authorized to solicit and investigate reports of abuse, neglect, mistreatment, and financial exploitation in covered facilities. Finally the bill deters interference and retaliation against persons cooperating with such investigations. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 405 Requires the Secretary of the Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS) to implement a mandatory uniform policy for all staff within one year to help delineate the staff members from patients for safety measures. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 406 Requires the Director of the Delaware Psychiatric Center to be a board-certified Psychiatrist and/or mater's level Nurse Administrator with administrative experience in behavioral health and hospital administration. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 407 Adds various protections to the Mental Health Patients' Bill of Rights Act, including safeguards in administration of restraint and requirement of an enhanced patient grievance system for the Delaware Psychiatric Center patients. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 408 Requires mental hospitals and residential centers covered by the Mental Health Patients' Bill of Rights Act to report deaths and critical incidents to the State Protection & Advocacy Agency, which is authorized by Federal law to investigate such occurrences. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 409 Currently statutory anti-retaliation and protective provisions for patients and others only apply to licensed long-term care (LTC) facilities. Only part of the Delaware Psychiatric Center (DPC) is a licensed LTC facility. This bill, to protect all patients and employees at DPC, applies such protections to all the DPC facilities. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 410 Clarifies the role of the Protection and Advocacy Agency, as designated pursuant to Federal law, relating to nursing and similar facilities and to protection of individuals, reporting abuse, granting access to facilities and records, preventing retaliation, and preventing interference with investigations. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 411 Codifies the recommendation of the Delaware Psychiatric Center House Investigative Committee that all employees providing direct care to patients be subject to criminal background checks and drug testing. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 415 Creates the Community College Infrastructure Fund account within the Department of Finance, which will eventually be used to pay the principal and interest on general obligation bonds issued by the State to finance major and minor capital projects and deferred maintenance for Delaware Technical & Community College. (also see SB 167 & SCR 22) House - Education Committee
HB 418 Amends the Delaware Clean Air Act Title V Operating Permit Program by reauthorizing and restructuring the permit fees for facilities in Delaware and allows the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to collect fees beginning January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2011.  House - Energy & Natural Resources Committee
HB 419 Creates a Mental Health Treatment Act with rights paralleling those of patients in the substance abuse treatment system compiled in Title 16, Chapter 22. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HB 420 Creates the Community College Infrastructure Fund account within the Department of Finance, which will eventually be used to pay the principal and interest on general obligation bonds issued by the State to finance major and minor capital projects and deferred maintenance for Delaware Technical & Community College. (also see SB 167,SCR 22, & HB 415) House - Education Committee

HCR 6

Urges Congress and the President of the United States to enact the National Health Insurance Act.

House - Economic Development/Banking & Insurance Committee
HCR 33 Creates an Aviation Advisory Task Force to make recommendations to determine what costs and fees should be assessed for the licensing of private airstrips in the State to implement safety requirements. The Task force is to report its findings and recommendations to the Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader by March 2008.

House - Passed
Senate - Awaiting Committee Assignment
HCR 38 with HA 1 Recommends the Controller General Vote to Approve the Power Purchase Agreement between Bluewater Wind and Delmarva Power and Requests the Public Service Commission Determine if the costs should be distributed among all Delmarva Power Customers.

House - Passed

Senate - Executive Committee
HCR 40 Ensures that all of Delaware's electric customers are paying their fare share of costs in support of the proposed offshore wind farm. House - Out of Committee
HCR 49 Establishes a Task Force to review coordination of health care, social, and legal services for Delawareans with Huntington's Disease. The Task Force shall submit their report to the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate on or before January 15, 2009.

House - Passed

Senate - Passed

HJR 6

Requires the Department of Health and Social Services to update and re-base Medicaid Inpatient Reimbursement Rates, which have not been updated (except for inflation) since 1994.

House - Appropriations Committee
HJR 15 Directs the Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services to perform a fiscal impact analysis to determine how much revenue Delaware pharmacies are expected to lose because of Medicaid's new formula that determines maximum reimbursement for multiple-source drugs, and directing the Director of the Division of Social Services to adopt Emergency and Final Regulations that increase the amount of reimbursement.

House - Passed

Senate - Finance Committee

HR 40 Recognizes the week of January 20, 2008 through January 26, 2008 as Nurse Anesthetists Week.

Senate - Passed

House - Passed
HR 54 Urges the Delaware Psychiatric Center to develop a comprehensive system to monitor and track patient assessments, treatment plans, therapy sessions, and discharge documentation. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HR 55 Urges the Joint Finance Committee to give great weight to allocating additional funding directly to the Delaware Psychiatric Center to fund necessary improvements to the facility. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HR 56 Urges the Joint Finance Committee to review the Delaware Psychiatric Center's overtime appropriations. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HR 57 Directs the Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS) and the Delaware State Police (DSP) to develop a memorandum of understanding relating to when the police will be contacted to investigate alleged criminal actions at the Delaware Psychiatric Center. House - Health & Human Development Committee
HR 58 Creates a Task Force to study and make recommendations regarding the establishment of a certification and licensure process for mental health attendants. House - Health & Human Development Committee

United States
Senate
&
House of Representatives
Federal Legislation

US Congress Bills In The News:  For more information on US Congressional bills that have received recent attention by the news media, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/home/textonly.html for more information about the bill and its status.

Active Congressional Bills and Documents by Subject: www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/b_three_sections_with_teasers/active_leg_page.htm

Note:  Bills prefixed by H.R. indicate a House of Representatives bill and bills prefixed by S. indicate a Senate bill.

Glossary of Legislative Terms, click here to see listing of terms.

HR 677

The Nursing School Capacity Act of 2007, sponsored by Representative Rush D. Holt (D-NJ) and co-sponsored by 66 other House members. To provide for a study by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to identify constraints encountered by schools of nursing in admitting and graduating the number of nurses sufficient to meet the health care needs of the United States, and for other purposes.

Congressional Actions:

Introduced & Assigned to:

House - Committee on Energy & Commerce

House - Sub-Committee on Health

S 1224

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007. A bill to amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and for other purposes.

Congressional Actions:

Senate - Committee on Finance

HR 2122

Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2007, sponsored by Representative Fortney Pete Stark (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Representatives Steven LaTourette (R-OH), and Janice Schakowski (D-IL). The bill limits the number of mandatory overtime hours a nurse may be required to work in certain providers of services to which payments are made under the Medicare Program.

Congressional Actions:

Introduced & Assigned to:

House - Committee on Energy & Commerce

House - Committee on Ways & Means

HR 2206

US Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007. Included in the bill are provisions to increase the minimum wage in increments as follows:

  • $5.85 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after the date of enactment of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007;
  • $6.55 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th day; and
  • $7.25 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th day.

Congressional Actions:

House – Passed 5/24/2007

Senate – Passed 5/24/2007

President Signed Into Law 05/25/2007

S 1376

340B Program Improvement and Integrity Act of 2007, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to revise and expand the drug discount program under section 340B of such Act to improve the provision of discounts on drug purchases for certain safety net provides.

Congressional Actions:

Introduced & Assigned to:

Senate - Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

HR 2606

340B Program Improvement and Integrity Act of 2007, A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to revise and expand the drug discount program under section 340B of such Act to improve the provision of discounts on drug purchases for certain safety net provides.

Congressional Actions:

Introduced & Assigned to:

House - Committee on Energy and Commerce

S 1841

Fair and Reliable Medical Justice Act. To restore fairness and reliability to the medical justice system and promote patient safety by fostering alternatives to current medical tort litigation, and for other purposes.

Congressional Actions:

Introduced & Assigned to:

Senate - Committee on Finance

HR 2497

Fair and Reliable Medical Justice Act. To restore fairness and reliability to the medical justice system and promote patient safety by fostering alternatives to current medical tort litigation, and for other purposes.

Congressional Actions:

Introduced & Assigned to:

House - Committee on Energy and Commerce

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