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Middletown High School FFA students won the 2014 “Forestry Career Development Event (CDE),” a challenging test of tree identification skills, forestry tools and knowledge, and math-related abilities. Sussex Central High School’s FFA team placed second. Each team consisted of four students who answered both individual and team-based questions. Middletown will now represent Delaware at the National FFA Convention and Expo in Louisville, Kentucky that begins on October 29, 2014.

The forestry event took place at Kent County’s Brecknock Park in Camden under the direction of Delaware Forest Service education specialist Ashley Peebles. This year’s challenge was designed to measure student knowledge in six separate skill areas: tree identification, equipment and troubleshooting, timber stand improvement, compass and pacing, board-foot volume estimation, and an individual written examination.

According to the FFA, Career Development Events help students develop the abilities to think critically, communicate clearly, and perform effectively in a competitive job market.” There are 24 CDEs, covering job skills in areas ranging from communications to mechanics. Some events allow students to compete as individuals, while others allow them to compete in teams.

Established in 1928 as the Future Farmers of America, FFA as it is now known is one of the largest youth groups in the United States, with over 550,000 members throughout all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. FFA is also the largest of the career and technical student organizations in U.S. schools.

For more information, contact Ashley Peebles, Delaware Forest Service, ashley.peebles@delaware.gov or Scott Haldeman, Milford School District, shaldema@msd.k12.de.us.

Attorney General Beau Biden tonight applauded the State House of Representatives for passing Senate Bill 36, an amendment to the State Constitution that would protect public safety by keeping the most dangerous criminals off the streets while they await trial.

Under current law, only defendants charged with capital murder may be held without bail pending trial. SB 36 aligns Delaware law with the federal government and more than two dozen states where, if prosecutors can show a defendant is too dangerous to be released pending trial, a judge can order the defendant held without bail. Under the measure, if a defendant is ordered held without bail, a hearing to reconsider bail will be held if trial does not begin within 120 days of arrest.

“This necessary reform to our bail system will better protect Delawareans by providing law enforcement the opportunity to keep the most dangerous defendants off the streets while they await trial,” Biden said after the House passed the measure this evening.

Biden recognized the primes sponsors of the bill, Senator Robert Marshall and Representatives Helene Keeley and Larry Mitchell for their leadership in securing its passage. The State Senate passed the measure by a wide margin in July, 2013. In order for the Constitutional amendment to take effect the measure must be passed again by both chambers of the General Assembly during the next legislative session.

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Dover, DE – By a 38 – 2 vote, the House today passed legislation to increase transparency of campaign contributions by corporations and other entities. Previously, corporations could contribute without any person taking responsibility for the donation, making it more difficult for the public to determine who was behind a contribution. Senate Bill 186 requires that these contributors disclose the name and address of one “responsible party”—someone who shares or exercises direction or control over the entity’s activities.

SB 186 passed the Senate earlier this month by a 12-9 vote and now heads to the Governor’s desk. The bill builds on passage earlier this week of legislation to create a more unified and efficient structure for conducting elections, while making it easier to report and investigate campaign finance violations. (More information pasted below.)

“A transparent campaign finance system is required to help voters make informed decisions and to help ensure contributors operate within contribution requirements,” said Governor Markell. “With passage of a set of important elections bills this week, as well as increased disclosure requirements in recent years, we have taken important steps to strengthen this essential part of our democracy.”

SB 186 – Transparency of Entity Contributions

Sponsors: Sen. Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington East); Rep. Michael Mulrooney (D-Penwood)

• Requires that entities must disclose name & address of one “responsible party”—someone who shares or exercises direction or control over entity’s activities.
• Requires that Elections Commissioner adopt uniform summary of law governing attribution of entity contributions, including examples of how law applies in specific cases.
  • This summary must be posted on the Elections Commissioner’s web site, and political committees must provide summary to any entity contributor that requests it.

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June 24, 2014

Legislation to Reform Delaware Election Laws Passes General Assembly

Dover, DE –Following efforts by the Governor and legislators to address the transparency and efficiency of Delaware elections, the Senate today passed House Substitute 1 to House Bill 302—a bill  that will create a more unified and efficient structure for conducting elections, while making it easier to report and investigate campaign finance violations.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Earl Jacques (D-Glasgow) and Sen. Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington East), was part of a series of election law proposals crafted this year with the Governor’s support. A second piece of legislation, which addresses campaign finance issues arising from contributions from joint accounts (House Bill 301), also passed the Senate today by a 21-0 vote. HS 1 to HB 302 and HB 301 now head to the Governor’s desk.

“Both HS 1 to HB 302 and HB 301 will improve our elections system, and I thank the General Assembly for sending them to my desk for signature,” said Governor Markell. “In particular, HS 1 to HB 302 will improve the efficiency of our elections system, will provide citizens with a mechanism for citizens to report campaign finance violations, and will provide necessary resources to investigate those possible violations. These bills further build on our continuing efforts to make our elections system more transparent and effective.”

HS 1 to HB 302 will:

• Consolidate the 3 existing county Boards of Election into a single State Board of Elections, as recommended by the Title 15 Task Force. As is the case with the existing county Boards, members would be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, and political balance would be required.
• Require the State Election Commissioner to establish procedures that will allow citizens to report possible violations of Delaware’s campaign finance laws, including anonymous reports.
• Authorize the Election Commissioner to hire investigators to examine possible violations and, if required, to refer such potential violations to the Attorney General for prosecution.
• Authorize the Commissioner to prepare and publish manuals explaining the duties and responsibilities of individuals, political committees, and others covered by Delaware’s campaign finance and other election laws.

HB 301, sponsored by Rep. Trey Paradee (D-Cheswold) and Sen. David Sokola (D-Newark), would provide for clearer attribution of contributions from joint accounts by:

• Requiring that contributions from joint accounts (including but not limited to bank accounts) must be attributed to the person signing the check or authorizing the payment; and
• Establishing procedures for reallocation of contributions from joint accounts.

Proposals during this legislative session represent continued progress in Governor Markell’s effort to improve Delaware’s campaign finance laws. In 2012, the Governor proposed and the General Assembly passed the Delaware Elections Disclosure Act, which increased disclosure requirements, closed a loophole in Delaware’s election laws, and made other improvements to Delaware’s campaign finance laws.  Additional legislation in 2012 increased fines for campaign finance violations.

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Dover, DE – The House today passed legislation to help ex-offenders reintegrate into society by eliminating the arbitrary loss of a driver’s license for crimes that have nothing to do with automobiles. By removing an obstacle for ex-offenders to find and hold a job, Senate Bill 217 represents the third bill to address employment discrimination against ex-offenders. The fourth bill in the Governor’s package addressed sentencing reform. Other legislation will prevent public employers from requiring job applicants to reveal if they have a conviction on their initial job application and allow the Department of Correction to offer short-term employment to qualified ex-offenders. All of the bills were proposed in the Governor’s State of the State address.

Sponsored by Sen. Brian Townsend, D-Newark, and Rep. James “J.J.” Johnson, D-New Castle, SB 217 was approved by a 30-10 vote today, passed the Senate in May, and now heads to the Governor’s desk.

“To reach our state’s full potential, we need to give all of our people the opportunity to contribute and that includes ex-offenders who have repaid their debt to society,” said Governor Markell. “This year, we have made substantial progress to remove obstacles to employment for ex-offenders. Our efforts increase the chances that they will become productive members of our communities, while reducing the chance that they will reoffend.”

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June 25, 2014

Third Piece of Governor’s Criminal Justice Reform Package Passes General Assembly

Gives ex-offenders the chance to compete for Department of Correction jobs

Dover, DE – Building on efforts to address employment obstacles for ex-offenders, the Senate today passed legislation to allow the Department of Correction to hire qualified ex-offenders into a short-term job training program and give those who have paid their debt to society a better opportunity to reintegrate into our communities.

Markell highlighted the need for this legislation when he outlined his criminal justice agenda in January’s State of the State address, saying, “If there is one employer in Delaware that should be able to decide whether hiring an ex-offender makes sense, it’s the Department of Correction. But the Department is prohibited from hiring anyone with a felony record, even on a part-time basis.”

“The vast majority of offenders will return to their communities, so we have a responsibility to support our economy and improve public safety by ensuring they have an opportunity to contribute as law-abiding citizens,” said Governor Markell. “One of the best indicators of whether individuals will reoffend is whether they have a job. No employer is better positioned to evaluate their capabilities in the workforce than the Department of Correction, so it’s time we remove the hiring restriction preventing the Department from doing so.”

House Bill 264 enables the Department to offer employment for up to 6 months to ex-offenders who demonstrate exceptional job skills while enrolled in a Level 4 or Level 5 vocational program, notwithstanding any prior felony convictions. The Senate’s 20-0 vote follows unanimous passage by the House earlier this month.

“The Department of Correction approached us about this issue,” said Rep. James “J.J.” Johnson, D-New Castle, the bill’s prime sponsor. “We want people who are imprisoned to gain useful job skills that will allow them to become productive members of society once they are released, but we are blocking them from obtaining a job with the department that helped train them. To me, it makes perfect sense that the Department of Correction would have the best idea of who they should hire. I’m glad to see so many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle support this bill.”

“This is another step in our efforts to help inmates in our correctional facilities get their lives back on track by allowing them to sharpen their job skills as casual-seasonal employees,” said Sen. Bruce Ennis, D-Smyrna, the measure’s lead Senate sponsor. “And because it’s paid for by money earned by our correctional industries, it won’t impose an additional burden on taxpayers.”

The bill represents the third of the Governor’s criminal justice priorities that will become law this year. It follows another measure to address employment discrimination against ex-offenders, House Bill 167, which the Governor signed into law last month, forbids public employers from asking job candidates to check a box on their applications if they have a criminal record.

Markell also proposed, and the General Assembly passed, sentencing reform legislation. House Bill 312 provides judicial discretion by permitting judges to impose concurrent sentences for multiple offenses. Delaware is the only state that currently forces judges, without exception, to impose consecutive sentences.

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Dover, DE – Gov. Jack Markell today signed into law a package of House bills that expand and strengthen Delaware’s Freedom of Information Act. The bills were introduced in early May and passed both chambers of the General Assembly with unanimous votes.

The new laws cover posting of meeting minutes, mailed FOIA requests, publishing of annual reports and education of FOIA coordinators.

The package represents a continuing effort to broaden government transparency and allow citizens to stay up-to-date with their state and local public agencies and more easily access public records and documents.

“In 2009, we brought the General Assembly under the FOIA umbrella, and since then we’ve routinely drafted and passed bills that expand FOIA in various ways,” said Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear. “This effort is ongoing and there’s always more we can do to promote the public’s right to know.”

“A transparent and open government is vital to ensure people have access to the information they deserve to fully participate in our democracy,” said Governor Markell. “We’ve made great progress in the last few years to that end, enacting in 2011 the biggest changes to the FOIA law since it took effect in 1977. This legislation supports our ongoing efforts to make state government more transparent, efficient and responsive to our citizens.”

The package signed into law today consisted of four House bills:

• House Bill 320, sponsored by Rep. Kim Williams, requires public bodies that      meet four or fewer times per year to post draft meeting minutes online within 20 working days of the end of the meeting. Currently, a group that only holds annual meetings is not required to post meeting minutes until they have been approved, which would happen a full year later.

“The idea that in 2014 meeting minutes for a public body might not be available for three, six or even 12 months is just senseless to me,” said Rep. Williams, D-Marshallton. “By posting draft minutes, we are striking a balance between keeping the public informed and giving the group time to write and review accurate minutes to be shared.”

• House Bill 321, sponsored by Rep. John Atkins, adds an educational component to Delaware’s FOIA law, requiring the Attorney General’s office to publish a manual with updated legal rulings on FOIA appeals, and hold an annual training seminar for FOIA coordinators. Senate Bill 231 in the 146th General Assembly required that every public body designate a FOIA coordinator to receive and process FOIA requests.

“I’ve heard from towns in my district and throughout Sussex County that they need guidance with FOIA,” said Rep. Atkins, D-Millsboro. “All they want to do is get it right and be consistent. Having a manual with all the information in hand will answer their questions up front and help them follow the law.”

• House Bill 322, sponsored by Rep. Quinn Johnson, D-Middletown, corrects an error from a previous FOIA bill. Passed in 2012, Senate Bill 231 removed U.S. Mail as an acceptable way to file a FOIA request. As a result, people submitting FOIA requests via mail could and have had their requests denied.

“Even in the Information Age, some people still rely on old-fashioned mail to communicate,” Rep. Johnson said. “This was a simple oversight when the previous bill was drafted, and we are correcting that by making clear that state agencies and public bodies need to accept FOIA requests sent by U.S. mail.”

• House Bill 323, sponsored by Rep. Ed. Osienski, requires that annual or      biennial reports published by various Executive Branch public bodies be      posted online on one central website. The bill also states that public bodies meet their duties to provide copies of reports to state government officials by posting the reports online and informing them of where and when it is available, thus cutting down on the cost of printing dozens of copies of reports.

“In some cases, Delaware does a great job providing information to the public, but can and should do more to make it easier for people to find that information,” said Rep. Osienski, D-Newark. “By putting all annual reports on one central website, it becomes one-stop shopping for the press and public instead of having to hunt around or call state agencies or groups.”