AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION.

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Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Gorman
Last action: 2025-07-14
Official status: Signed 7/14/25
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text does not specify an exact effective date beyond the signature date of July 14, 2025.

HB152: Expanding Criminal Impersonation Laws to Include Federal Officers

This law updates Delaware's criminal impersonation rules by adding federal officers to the list of protected officials and creating a single term called 'law-enforcement official' for all covered roles.

What This Bill Does

Makes it illegal to pretend to be a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic, fire police, or federal officer while committing or fleeing from a crime.
Creates a new definition called 'law-enforcement official' that includes all the state officers listed above plus federal officers.
Updates Section 907B of Title 11 of the Delaware Code to use this new term instead of listing each job separately in some parts of the law.
Sets the penalty as a Class E felony for basic impersonation, or raises it to a Class C felony if physical injury occurs or specific serious crimes are committed.

Who It Names or Affects

People who pretend to be police officers, firefighters, emergency medical workers, fire police, or federal officers while committing or fleeing from a crime.
Federal government agents with the power to make arrests under federal law.
State and local officials including police officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and fire police.

Terms To Know

Law-enforcement official: A term defined in this bill that includes a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic, fire police, or federal officer.
Federal officer: An officer or agent of the federal government who has the power to make arrests under federal law.

Limits and Unknowns

The official text does not list a specific effective date, though it was signed by the Governor on July 14, 2025.
This bill only changes laws in Delaware and applies to crimes committed within that state.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HA 1

1 • Gorman

Passed 6/24/25

Plain English: This amendment makes it a more serious crime (a Class D felony) instead of a less serious one (a Class E felony) for someone who impersonates a police officer or other law enforcement official.

Changes the punishment for non-aggravated criminal impersonation of a law-enforcement official from a Class E felony to a Class D felony.

Bill History

2025-07-14 Delaware General Assembly
Signed by Governor
2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
2025-06-26 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Executive) in Senate with 5 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits
2025-06-24 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment HA 1 to HB 152 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
2025-06-24 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 VACANT
2025-06-24 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Executive Committee in Senate
2025-06-17 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment HA 1 to HB 152 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
2025-06-17 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 8 On Its Merits
2025-05-15 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION.
This Act expands the criminal offense of impersonating a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, or fire officer to also prohibit impersonation of a federal officer.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform to the Legislative Drafting Manual and creates a definition of “law-enforcement official,” which includes all of the state officers already explicitly referenced in the statute, as well as federal officers.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Gorman & Rep. Minor-Brown & Sen. Lockman & Sen. Hocker & Sen. Huxtable & Sen. Pettyjohn & Sen. Pinkney

Reps. Neal, Phillips, Snyder-Hall, Bolden; Sen. Sokola

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 152

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 907B, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 907B. Criminal impersonation of a

police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic or fire police;

law-enforcement official;

class E felony, class C felony.

(a) A person is guilty of criminal impersonation of a

police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic or fire police

law-enforcement official

when the person, intending to facilitate the commission of a crime or while in immediate flight

therefrom:

therefrom does either of the following:

(1) Intentionally and without lawful authority impersonates or otherwise pretends to be a

police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic or fire police; or

law-enforcement official.

(2) Without lawful authority does any act intended to create or reinforce a false impression that the person is a

police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic or fire police.

law-enforcement official.

(b) Criminal impersonation of a

police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic or fire police

law-enforcement official

is a class E felony, unless during the course of the commission of the crime, or while in immediate flight therefrom, the person or another participant in the

crime:

crime does either of the following, in which case it is a class C felony:

(1) Causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the

crime; or

crime.

(2) Commits a class A felony or class B felony as defined by this title or any sexual offense as defined by § 761(i) of this

title, in which case it is a class C felony.

title.

(c) Nothing in this section

shall preclude

precludes

a separate charge,

conviction

conviction,

or sentence for any other crime.

(d) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Federal officer” means an officer or agent of the federal government who has the power to make arrests under federal law.

(2) “Law-enforcement official” means a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic, fire police, or federal officer.

SYNOPSIS

This Act expands the criminal offense of impersonating a police officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, or fire officer to also prohibit impersonation of a federal officer.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform to the Legislative Drafting Manual and creates a definition of “law-enforcement official,” which includes all of the state officers already explicitly referenced in the statute, as well as federal officers.