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Legislation Document
SPONSOR:
Rep. Heffernan & Rep. Carson & Rep. D. Short & Sen. Townsend
Reps. Osienski, Griffith, K. Johnson, Hilovsky, Michael Smith, Ortega, K. Williams; Sens. Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Walsh, Wilson, Hocker, Pettyjohn
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
HOUSE BILL NO. 171
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELECTIVE CREDIT FOR VOLUNTEERING WITH LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. Amend Chapter 89A, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 8902A. Provisions.
(a) The Delaware Office of Volunteerism, and the Department of Education, having knowledge of bona fide volunteer opportunities, shall make those opportunities known to high school students through the schools’ guidance counseling program and shall update their information regularly.
(b) High schools, through guidance counselors, shall promote known opportunities to students by stressing the desirability of giving back to one’s community, helping people and of the benefits of such experience in the process of finding employment and applying for acceptance in institutions of secondary education.
High schools must inform students of the option to earn up to 1 elective credit through volunteer work at or before the time students select classes. Information provided under this section must include that students may be able to volunteer for a local fire department.
(c) (1) A student in grades 9-12 who performs voluntary community service for at least 45 hours per semester for 2 semesters shall receive 1 Delaware Volunteer credit. The credit may count as an elective for graduation requirements if approved by, and conducted under the supervision of, the school principal. This credit shall appear prominently on the student’s high school transcript. The Department of Education shall prepare a statement of explanation of the Delaware Volunteer credit and attach the statement to or include it on its response to any official transcript request for a student transcript that contains the credit. Voluntary community service performed during the summer or other recess periods shall count toward the fulfillment of required hours.
(2) To qualify for Delaware Volunteer credit:
a. Volunteer community service shall not be performed during the hours that the student is required to be in attendance at
school;
school.
b. Volunteer community service
shall
may
be performed only with an organization or project whose name has been submitted to a school guidance counselor by the Delaware Office of Volunteerism or the Department of
Education; and
Education, or with a local fire department.
c. Volunteer community service shall not be of a political or advocacy nature.
(3) A student’s volunteer community service time shall be verified by a director or supervisor of the organization or project on forms developed by the Department of Education and the Delaware Office of Volunteerism, and certified by the student’s guidance counselor or principal, or by the principal’s designee.
(4) A student who earns a Delaware Volunteer credit pursuant to this section shall also receive a certificate of recognition, developed by the Department of Education and the Office of Volunteerism, to document the student’s volunteer community service.
(5) No more than 1 Delaware Volunteer credit shall be awarded to any student.
§ 8903A. Regulatory authority.
The Department may promulgate regulations necessary to implement this chapter.
SYNOPSIS
This Act updates the Delaware Volunteerism Act to specify that high school students may complete their community service with local fire departments to obtain up to 1 elective credit. It also requires schools to notify students of the opportunity to earn elective credit through volunteer work at or before the time students select their classes.
This Act also allows the Department of Education to promulgate regulations to implement the Delaware Volunteerism Act.
This Act also makes technical corrections to conform to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.