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SS1FORSB234 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 20 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FIRST RESPONDERS.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 20 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FIRST RESPONDERS.

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Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Last action
2026-07-01
Official status
Passed By House. Votes: 41 YES
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 20 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FIRST RESPONDERS.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 20 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FIRST RESPONDERS.

What This Bill Does

  • AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 20 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FIRST RESPONDERS.
  • This Act creates a definition of “first responder” in Chapter 31 of Title 20, pertaining to emergency management.
  • Currently, the term is referenced, but it is not actually defined, creating potential uncertainty about who qualifies as a first responder in this context.
  • This Act defines a first responder as a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical services personnel member, hazardous materials response team member, 911 dispatcher, emergency manager, or other individual who is responsible for the protection and preservation of life or property and who is called on to respond to emergencies.

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. 2026-07-01 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By House. Votes: 41 YES

  2. 2026-05-05 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Public Safety & Homeland Security) in House with 8 On Its Merits

  3. 2026-04-22 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee in House

  4. 2026-04-21 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT

  5. 2026-03-18 Delaware General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-03-17 Delaware General Assembly

    Adopted in lieu of the original bill SB 234, and Assigned to Corrections & Public Safety Committee in Senate

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 20 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FIRST RESPONDERS.
This Act creates a definition of “first responder” in Chapter 31 of Title 20, pertaining to emergency management. Currently, the term is referenced, but it is not actually defined, creating potential uncertainty about who qualifies as a first responder in this context. This Act defines a first responder as a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical services personnel member, hazardous materials response team member, 911 dispatcher, emergency manager, or other individual who is responsible for the protection and preservation of life or property and who is called on to respond to emergencies.

This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 234 and differs from Senate Bill No. 234 in that it adds a definition of “law enforcement officer” to clarify which law enforcement personnel are included in the definition of “first responder” and makes minor technical corrections to the definition of “first responder”.