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HB197 • 2025

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

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

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Last action
2026-05-21
Official status
Signed by Governor
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on how the new definitions will be applied or which actions might now count as stalking under the expanded definition of 'course of conduct'.

Changes to Stalking Laws in Delaware

This law modifies the stalking laws in Delaware by expanding the definition of 'course of conduct' and increasing penalties for certain types of stalking.

What This Bill Does

  • Expands what counts as a 'course of conduct' when someone stalks another person.
  • Excludes evidence related to constitutionally protected activities from being used in court if such activities are found by the court to be subject to this statute.
  • Makes stalking under § 1312(c) more serious, changing it from a class F felony to a class D felony.
  • Makes stalking under § 1312(b) more serious, changing it from a class G felony to a class E felony.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who stalk others in Delaware
  • Courts and law enforcement agencies in Delaware

Terms To Know

Course of conduct
A pattern of behavior that happens more than once.
Felony
A serious crime that can lead to a long prison sentence.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the new definitions will be applied in court cases.
  • It is unclear which specific actions might now count as stalking under the expanded definition of 'course of conduct'.

Amendments

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

HA 1

1 • Griffith

Passed

Plain English: Passed 1 by Griffith

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-21 Delaware General Assembly

    Signed by Governor

  2. 2026-05-05 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

  3. 2026-01-21 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 5 On Its Merits

  4. 2025-07-01 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate

  5. 2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment HA 1 to HB 197 - Passed In House by Voice Vote

  6. 2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By House. Votes: 37 YES 1 NO 2 ABSENT 1 VACANT

  7. 2025-06-24 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment HA 1 to HB 197 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

  8. 2025-06-11 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 6 On Its Merits

  9. 2025-06-05 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 STALKING.
This Act expands the definition of a “course of conduct” in the stalking statute and also provides that if the court finds as a matter of law that acts subject to this statute are in fact constitutionally protected activities, then all evidence associated with those activities must be excluded.
This Act raises stalking under § 1312(c) from a class F to a class D felony. And also raises stalking under § 1312 (b) from a class G to a class E felony.
This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.