This Amendment corrects a grammatical error in Section 18 of Article I of the Delaware Constitution by adding "a" between "in" and "manner".

Plain English Breakdown

The bill has passed the House but voter approval status is not confirmed in the source material.

Amendment to Fix a Grammar Error in Section 18

This amendment adds the word "a" between "in" and "manner" in Article I, Section 18 of the Delaware Constitution to correct a grammatical error.

What This Bill Does

• Changes the text of Section 18 by inserting the letter 'a' between the words 'in' and 'manner'.
• Updates the phrase from reading "in manner" to reading "in a manner."
• Aligns the current wording with versions used in the Delaware Constitution since 1792.
• Corrects an error that occurred when Section 18 was presented for final approval at the 1897 Constitutional Convention.

Who It Names or Affects

• The text of Article I, Section 18 of the Delaware Constitution

Terms To Know

Constitutional Convention

A meeting where people gather to write or change a government's rules.

Quartering soldiers

Forcing military troops to live in private homes without permission.

Limits and Unknowns

• The official effective date is not listed in the provided text.
• This document only shows that the bill passed the House; it does not show if voters have approved it yet.

Official Summary Text

This Amendment corrects a grammatical error in Section 18 of Article I of the Delaware Constitution by adding "a" between "in" and "manner".

At the Constitutional Convention of 1897, the Committee of the Whole adopted the phrase “in a manner”, which was consistent with previous versions of this Section that appeared in the 1792 and 1831 versions of the Delaware Constitution. However, when Section 18 of Article I was presented to the Convention for final approval, the phrase read “in manner". This error, brought to the attention of Delaware Law Related Education Center by a member of the Delaware Bar, is being documented by a University of Delaware student as an aid for teaching Delaware students about the process of amending their state constitution.

Current Bill Text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Osienski

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1

FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 320

AMEND House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill No. 320 by inserting the following after line 150:

“Section 12. Amend § 18, Article I of the Delaware Constitution by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 18. Prohibition against quartering soldiers in homes.

No soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner; nor in time of war but by a civil magistrate, in

a

manner to be prescribed by law.”.

SYNOPSIS

This Amendment corrects a grammatical error in Section 18 of Article I of the Delaware Constitution by adding "a" between "in" and "manner".

At the Constitutional Convention of 1897, the Committee of the Whole adopted the phrase “in a manner”, which was consistent with previous versions of this Section that appeared in the 1792 and 1831 versions of the Delaware Constitution. However, when Section 18 of Article I was presented to the Convention for final approval, the phrase read “in manner". This error, brought to the attention of Delaware Law Related Education Center by a member of the Delaware Bar, is being documented by a University of Delaware student as an aid for teaching Delaware students about the process of amending their state constitution.