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SB10 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MODIFICATION OF SENTENCES OF INCARCERATION.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MODIFICATION OF SENTENCES OF INCARCERATION.

Crime Healthcare
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Last action
2025-07-14
Official status
SS 1 for SB 10 - Signed by Governor
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MODIFICATION OF SENTENCES OF INCARCERATION.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MODIFICATION OF SENTENCES OF INCARCERATION.

What This Bill Does

  • AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MODIFICATION OF SENTENCES OF INCARCERATION.
  • This Act is named in honor of Richard “Mouse” Smith, a Delaware civil rights leader, who spent decades advocating on issues addressed by this Act.
  • Currently, the Department of Correction (“Department”) biennially reviews individuals sentenced to more than 1 year of incarceration to determine if there is good cause to recommend a sentence modification to the Board of Parole for an individual who is not a substantial risk to the community or the individual’s self.
  • Good cause includes the individual’s rehabilitation, serious medical illness or infirmity, and prison overcrowding.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-07-14 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - Signed by Governor

  2. 2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 NO

  3. 2025-06-26 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - - Stricken in House

  4. 2025-06-26 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - - Stricken in House

  5. 2025-06-26 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - - Passed In House by Voice Vote

  6. 2025-06-26 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - Passed By House. Votes: 28 YES 12 NO 1 VACANT

  7. 2025-06-25 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - Reported Out of Committee (Appropriations) in House with 1 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits

  8. 2025-06-20 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House

  9. 2025-06-18 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - Reported Out of Committee (Administration) in House with 3 On Its Merits

  10. 2025-06-05 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - Assigned to Administration Committee in House

  11. 2025-05-22 Delaware General Assembly

    SS 1 for SB 10 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 15 YES 5 NO 1 ABSENT

  12. 2025-05-20 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Finance) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits

  13. 2025-05-20 Delaware General Assembly

    Substituted in Senate by SS 1 for SB 10

  14. 2025-04-17 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Corrections & Public Safety) in Senate with 4 Favorable

  15. 2025-04-17 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate

  16. 2025-03-26 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Corrections & Public Safety Committee in Senate

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO MODIFICATION OF SENTENCES OF INCARCERATION.
This Act is named in honor of Richard “Mouse” Smith, a Delaware civil rights leader, who spent decades advocating on issues addressed by this Act.

Currently, the Department of Correction (“Department”) biennially reviews individuals sentenced to more than 1 year of incarceration to determine if there is good cause to recommend a sentence modification to the Board of Parole for an individual who is not a substantial risk to the community or the individual’s self. Good cause includes the individual’s rehabilitation, serious medical illness or infirmity, and prison overcrowding. While any individual is eligible for consideration due to a serious medical illness or infirmity, only those who have served at least ½ of their sentence for a violent felony or ½ of their sentence with a statutorily mandated term of incarceration are eligible for consideration for rehabilitation, prison overcrowding, or another reason. If the Department recommends an individual for sentence modification, the