KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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HB326 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THEFT BY IMPERSONATION OF A FAMILY MEMBER.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THEFT BY IMPERSONATION OF A FAMILY MEMBER.

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Last action
2026-05-05
Official status
Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details about the exact duration of imprisonment or whether judges can suspend sentences, which were mentioned in the candidate explanation.

Law to Punish Impersonating Family Members for Theft

This law makes it a crime with harsher penalties when someone pretends to be a family member of another person to commit theft.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes impersonating a family member to steal something a more serious crime in Delaware.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who commit theft by pretending to be a family member of someone else

Terms To Know

Impersonation
Acting or speaking in the manner of another person, often for illegal purposes.
Sentence
The punishment given by a judge to someone found guilty of breaking the law.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens if someone impersonates a family member but does not steal anything.
  • Does not explain how judges should decide on cases where there is doubt about whether someone was pretending to be a family member.

Amendments

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

HA 1

1 • Morrison

Passed 5/5/26

Plain English: Legislation Document SPONSOR: Rep.

  • Legislation Document SPONSOR: Rep.
  • Morrison HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 TO HOUSE BILL NO.
  • 326 AMEND House Bill No.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-05 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment HA 1 to HB 326 - Passed In House by Voice Vote

  2. 2026-05-05 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By House. Votes: 33 YES 2 NO 6 ABSENT

  3. 2026-05-05 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate

  4. 2026-04-16 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment HA 1 to HB 326 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

  5. 2026-04-15 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 7 On Its Merits

  6. 2026-03-18 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 THEFT BY IMPERSONATION OF A FAMILY MEMBER.
This Act increases the penalty when an individual commits theft by impersonating a family member of the victim. A person convicted of a violation of this section shall be imprisoned for not less than 60 days. The minimum sentence under this section may not be suspended.