HB357 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DUTY TO SUPPORT POOR PERSONS.

Children

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Ross Levin
Last action: 2026-05-20
Official status: Out of Committee 5/20/26
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on the amount of financial support or potential penalties, leaving these points as unknowns.

Updating Support for People Who Can't Support Themselves

This act changes how Delaware law refers to people who need financial help and clarifies that parents must support their disabled adult children.

What This Bill Does

Changes the term 'poor person' to 'a person unable to financially support oneself' in the law.
Clarifies that a parent's duty to support includes an adult child with disabilities who cannot support themselves.

Who It Names or Affects

People who need financial help from family members
Parents of disabled adult children

Terms To Know

Duty to Support: The responsibility of a person, like parents or spouses, to provide for someone who cannot support themselves financially.
Financially Support Oneself: Being able to pay for your own needs without help from others.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much financial support is required.
It's unclear if there are any penalties for not following this duty.

Bill History

2026-05-20 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 4 Favorable, 1 On Its Merits
2026-05-05 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By House. Votes: 37 YES 4 ABSENT
2026-05-05 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate
2026-04-22 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 9 On Its Merits
2026-04-09 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DUTY TO SUPPORT POOR PERSONS.
This Act updates § 503 of Title 13 by replacing the outdated term “poor person” with the term, “a person unable to financially support oneself”. This language change is a technical change to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
In addition, this Act clarifies that § 503 of the Title 13, relating to the duty to support a person unable to financially support oneself (formerly “poor person”), includes the duty to a support an adult child with a disability that cannot support oneself. This duty is articulated in H. v. V., 2018 Del. Fam. Ct. LEXIS 4, where the Family Court found that a parent of a 22 year-old adult child diagnosed with severe autism was statutorily obligated to provide support to the adult child.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Ross Levin & Sen. Poore

Reps. Gorman, K. Johnson, Lambert; Sens. Hoffner, Wilson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 357

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLES 10 AND 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DUTY TO SUPPORT POOR PERSONS.

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

Section 1. Amend § 503, Title 13 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 503. Duty to support a

poor

person.

person unable to financially support oneself.

) Except as expressly provided in §§ 501 and 502 of this title, the duty to support a

poor

person unable to

financially

support

the poor person’s own self

oneself

rests upon the spouse, parents, or children, in that order, subject to § 504 of this title as to expenses described therein. If the relation prior in order shall not be able, the next in order shall be liable, and several relations of the same order shall, if able, contribute according to their means.

(b) For purposes of this section, “a person unable to financially support oneself” includes an adult child with a disability that is unable to support oneself.

Section 2. Amend § 921, Title 10 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 921. Exclusive original civil jurisdiction. [For application of this section, see 82 Del. Laws, c. 84, § 5]

The Court shall have exclusive original civil jurisdiction in all proceedings in this State concerning:

(7) Liability of relatives to support a

poor

person under

§ 501

Chapter 5

of Title 13, and §§ 2830 and 2831 of Title 31;

SYNOPSIS

This Act updates § 503 of Title 13 by replacing the outdated term “poor person” with the term, “a person unable to financially support oneself”. This language change is a technical change to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

In addition, this Act clarifies that § 503 of the Title 13, relating to the duty to support a person unable to financially support oneself (formerly “poor person”), includes the duty to a support an adult child with a disability that cannot support oneself. This duty is articulated in H. v. V., 2018 Del. Fam. Ct. LEXIS 4, where the Family Court found that a parent of a 22 year-old adult child diagnosed with severe autism was statutorily obligated to provide support to the adult child.