SB192 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES.

Labor

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Walsh
Last action: 2026-05-12
Official status: Out of Committee 5/12/26
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide details on the consequences of non-compliance or how to determine 'prospective employees'.

Law for Call Centers in Delaware

This law requires public utilities to notify relevant parties before moving a call center out of their service area.

What This Bill Does

Requires public utilities to inform the Public Service Commission if they plan to move a call center outside their service territory or contract work for a call center outside that area.
Public utilities must tell current and prospective employees at the call center about any plans to relocate it out of the service territory.
Public utilities need to notify union leaders representing workers at the call center about relocation plans.

Who It Names or Affects

Public utilities in Delaware
Employees and potential employees of call centers operated by or contracted with public utilities
Union leaders representing workers at the call centers

Terms To Know

Call center: A place where a company handles customer calls, emails, or other messages.
Service territory: The area that a public utility is responsible for serving customers in.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if the requirements are not followed.
Does not define how to determine 'prospective employees'.

Bill History

2026-05-12 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Labor) in House with 9 On Its Merits
2026-04-30 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Labor Committee in House
2026-04-23 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
2026-03-25 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits
2025-06-24 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in Senate

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES.
This Act imposes certain requirements upon a public utility if it intends to relocate a call center outside the service territory of the public utility or contract call center work outside of the service territory of the public utility. The requirements include providing notice to the Public Service Commission, current and prospective employees at the call center, and the union leadership of any current or prospective employees at the call center.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Walsh & Rep. K. Williams

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 192

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 26 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES.

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

Section 1. Amend Subchapter I, Chapter 1, Title 26 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 102. Definitions.

As used in this title, unless the context otherwise requires:

( ) “Call center” means a facility or other operation whereby a public utility receives incoming telephone calls, emails, or other electronic communication for the purpose of providing customer assistance or other service.

( ) “Disaster” means as defined in Chapter 31 of Title 20.

Section 2. Amend Subchapter II, Chapter 1, Title 26 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 226. Call Centers

(a) Not fewer than 120 days before relocating a call center outside of the service territory of the public utility or contracting call center work outside of the service territory of the public utility, a public utility must, in the manner and form determined by the Commission, do all of the following:

(1) Notify the Commission of the public utility’s intent to relocate the call center or contracting call center work outside of the service territory of the public utility.

(2) Notify all current and prospective employees of the call center of the public utility’s intent to relocate the call center or contracting call center work outside of the service territory of the public utility.

(3) Notify the leadership of any of labor unions in which a current or prospective employee is a member of the public utility’s intent to relocate the call center or contracting call center work outside of the service territory of the public utility.

(b) A public utility is exempt from the notification requirements described in this section if the public utility contracts call center work outside of the service territory of the public utility due to a disaster.

SYNOPSIS

This Act imposes certain requirements upon a public utility if it intends to relocate a call center outside the service territory of the public utility or contract call center work outside of the service territory of the public utility. The requirements include providing notice to the Public Service Commission, current and prospective employees at the call center, and the union leadership of any current or prospective employees at the call center.

Author: Senator Walsh