Read the full stored bill text
Legislation Document
SPONSOR:
Sen. Buckson & Rep. Yearick
DELAWARE STATE SENATE
153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 191
RELATING TO BILL INTRODUCTION LIMITS FOR THE 153RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
WHEREAS, the General Assembly, like its counterparts in many other states, has a limited number of session days; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly’s regular session is restricted to run from the second Tuesday in January to June 30, but operationally the General Assembly is meeting to consider legislation less than 50 days during each regular session; and
WHEREAS, between the 147th General Assembly and 152nd General Assembly, the number of Senate Bills introduced has increased by 39% and the number of House Bills introduced has increased by 19%; and
WHEREAS, during the 151st General Assembly a Senator introduced on average 8.5 bills each regular session and a Representative introduced on average 6.5 bills each regular session; and
WHEREAS, during the 152nd General Assembly a Senator introduced on average 9.1 bills each regular session and a Representative introduced on average 5.9 bills each regular session; and
WHEREAS, as of April 24, 2026, the Senate of the 153
rd
General Assembly has introduced 337 bills, including substitutes, with a current average of 8 bills introduced by each Senator each regular session, and the House of Representatives of the 153
rd
General Assembly has introduced 450 bills, including substitutes, with a current average of 5.5 bills introduced by each Representative each regular session; and
WHEREAS, the ability to consider a large volume of bills is not necessarily compatible with restricted session time; and
WHEREAS, at least 24 state legislative chambers impose limits on the number of bills that may be introduced by their members in an effort to reduce the number of bills entering the legislative process and allow legislators more time to consider and debate the complex issues facing their states.
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the following rule applies to the Senate and House of Representatives for the 153rd General Assembly:
Bill Introduction Limits.
(a) In this rule:
(1) “Bill” means a legislative measure styled as a Senate Bill or a House Bill.
(2) “Member” means a Senator or Representative.
(3) “Regular session” means either of the following:
a. From the day after the day of the general election in November of an even numbered year through July 1 of an odd numbered year.
b. From July 2 of an odd number year through the day of the general election in November of an even numbered year.
(4) “Secretary” and “Chief Clerk” means Secretary of the Senate and Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives, respectively.
(b) Except as provided under subsection (c) or (d) of this rule, a member may not be the prime sponsor of more than 5 bills introduced in the member’s Chamber each regular session.
(c) Subsection (b) of this rule does not apply to any of the following:
(1) Any of the following joint committees that vote to have a bill introduced:
a. Legislative Council.
b. The Joint Finance Committee.
c. The Joint Committee on Capital Improvement.
d. The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee.
(2) A substitute for an introduced bill.
(3) A bill that is stricken by the prime sponsor of the bill within 15 calendar days of introduction.
(4) A bill introduced at the request of a legislative task force.
(5) A bill that has received a waiver of subsection (b) of this rule under subsection (d) of this rule.
(6) A bill to amend a single municipality’s charter.
(d) A member may seek a waiver of the limit imposed under subsection (b) of this rule for a bill that exceeds the member’s bill limit.
(1) A Senator must seek the waiver from the Senate Rules & Ethics Committee. A Representative must seek the waiver from the House Rules Committee.
(2) A request for a waiver must meet all of the following:
a. Be in writing.
b. State the member’s justification for the waiver.
c. Contain a draft of the bill the member seeks the waiver to introduce.
(3) The Senate Rules & Ethics Committee and House Rules Committee may adopt rules for the consideration of a request for a waiver under this subsection.
(4) The grant of a waiver under this subsection requires the affirmative vote of the following:
a. For the Senate Rules & Ethics Committee, 5 of the 6 members of the Senate Rules & Ethics Committee.
b. For the House Rules Committee, 4 of the 5 members of the House Rules Committee.
(5) When the Senate Rules & Ethics Committee or House Rules Committee grants or denies a waiver under this subsection, the Committee shall notify all of the following of the grant or denial:
a. The member who requests the waiver.
b. The Secretary or Chief Clerk, as applicable.
(e) If a member seeks to introduce a bill in excess of the number of bills allowed under subsections (b) and (c) of this rule without a waiver granted under subsection (d) of this rule, the Secretary or Chief Clerk, as applicable, shall reject the bill and inform the member that the introduction of the bill exceeds the bill limit applicable to the member.
(f) The Secretary and Chief Clerk shall each keep a record of all of the following, as applicable to the Secretary’s or Chief Clerk’s Chamber:
(1) The number of bills introduced by each member.
(2) The number of bills introduced by a member under each individual exception under subsection (c) of this rule.
(3) The number of bills introduced by a member under subsection (d) of this rule.
(4) The number of times each member seeks to introduce a bill that is denied introduction under subsection (e) of this rule.
(g) The Secretary and the Chief Clerk shall each prepare a report not later than November 1 each year containing the information compiled under subsection (f) of this rule.
(h) The Secretary and the Chief Clerk shall each submit the report under subsection (g) of this rule to the following:
(1) The members of Legislative Council.
(2) The Legislative Librarian.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 153rd General Assembly declares that this Concurrent Resolution does not count introduction of bills introduced before the final passage of this Concurrent Resolution toward the limit imposed by this Concurrent Resolution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 153rd General Assembly recommends that the 154th General Assembly adopt a similar rule when it convenes.
SYNOPSIS
This Senate Concurrent Resolution adopts a rule applicable to both the Senate and House of Representatives to limit the number of bills introduced by members of the General Assembly to 5 bills each regular session.
The rule provides for exceptions for certain types of bills and for a process to request a waiver of the bill introduction limit by filing a request with the Senate Rules & Ethics Committee, for Senators, or the House Rules Committee, for Representatives.
The rule requires the Secretary of the Senate and Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to keep records on and issue a report by November 1 of each year containing the following information:
(1) The number of bills introduced by each member.
(2) The number of bills introduced by a member under each individual exception under subsection (c) of this rule.
(3) The number of bills introduced by a member under subsection (d) of this rule.
(4) The number of times each member seeks to introduce a bill that is denied introduction under subsection (e) of this rule.
For purposes of the application of this Senate Concurrent Resolution to this General Assembly, because this session is nearly complete, bills introduced to date do not count for purposes of determining the limit and each legislator starts at zero bills introduced.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution also recommends that the 154th General Assembly adopt a similar rule when it convenes.
Author: Senator Buckson