CELEBRATING THE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE DIVISION OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Minor-Brown & Rep. Harris & Rep. Osienski & Rep. Dukes & Rep. Spiegelman & Sen. Sokola & Sen. Townsend & Sen. Lockman & Sen. Hocker & Sen. Pettyjohn

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 117

CELEBRATING THE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE DIVISION OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES.

WHEREAS, May 4, 2026, marks the 60

th

anniversary of the creation of the Division of Legislative Services (the Division); and

WHEREAS, the Division has a long history of providing a variety of services to the Delaware General Assembly, starting with its predecessor, the Legislative Reference Bureau, which had a director and 4 clerks. The Bureau typed bill drafts and made copies of bills; and

WHEREAS, the Division replaced the Legislative Reference Bureau with Legislative Council’s Director of Research in 1966; and

WHEREAS, by its 50

th

year in 2016, the Division of Research had 15 full-time staff members and had developed a mission to provide services to the General Assembly and the public in a neutral and confidential manner; and

WHEREAS, the Division received its current name in 2024 to better reflect the varying responsibilities and tasks that the Division performs and to modernize the Division’s name to more closely align with its sister agencies in other state legislatures; and

WHEREAS, today the Division enjoys 27 permanent staff, with the work the Division provides the General Assembly continuing to outpace the growth of the Division itself; and

WHEREAS, the Division is the home of the Legislative Information Office (LIO or the Bill Room), the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee, a legal unit, the Legislative Library, the Legislative Print Shop, the Office of the Registrar of Regulations, facilities coordination and building maintenance, and a research unit; and

WHEREAS, the Division offers a myriad of services to the General Assembly, State agencies, and the public, including all of the following:

(1) Analysis and staffing for the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee.

(2) Bill drafting and drafting education.

(3) Editing and publication of administrative regulations, the Laws of Delaware, the Delaware Code Online, and municipal charters.

(4) Education programs for General Assembly members, support staff, and legislative drafters.

(5) Development, production, and distribution of public information concerning the General Assembly.

(6) Graphics and printing services.

(7) Legislative, policy, and legal research.

(8) Planning and scheduling building events.

(9) Records keeping and other librarian services.

(10) Supervision of the maintenance of the Legislative Hall building and grounds; and

WHEREAS, the 60

th

anniversary is associated with being the “diamond” anniversary, which gives it special meaning to the Division’s anniversary in Delaware, also known as the “Diamond State”; and

WHEREAS, according to legend, Delaware got its nickname from Thomas Jefferson, who called it a "jewel among the states"; and

WHEREAS, Delawareans know that Delaware is the Diamond State because it is small but has great value, much like the Division of Legislative Services.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that we recognize the contributions the Division of Legislative Services has made over the last 60 years, offer our heartiest congratulations on the occasion of this anniversary, and extend our best wishes for the continued success of the Division.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, after final passage, the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives deliver a suitably prepared copy of this Concurrent Resolution to the Division.

SYNOPSIS

This Concurrent Resolution celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Division of Legislative Services.