New law will limit access to firearms for those considered a danger to themselves or others

NEWARK, Del. – On Monday, Governor John Carney signed the Beau Biden Gun Violence Prevention Act alongside Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, Ashley Biden, Representative David Bentz, legislators, and gun safety advocates at the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware.

The Beau Biden Act, passed unanimously by the General Assembly, will help restrict access to firearms for those who mental health professionals believe present a danger to themselves or others. The Act, which takes effect six months after its signing, mirrors legislation championed by former Attorney General Beau Biden in 2013.

“I am honored to sign this legislation, and to help carry on Beau’s legacy and his commitment to protecting Delawareans,” said Governor Carney. “The Beau Biden Gun Violence Prevention Act is important, common sense legislation – and one piece in a package of comprehensive gun safety reform that will help make our state safer. This law will ensure that law enforcement and health professionals are working more closely together to confront the issue of gun violence and mental health. And it will help keep firearms away from those who may pose a danger to themselves or others, while protecting due process rights, and ensuring continued access to important mental health services.”

“My son Beau always believed that there was room for common sense gun safety legislation. It is something he supported and worked for his whole professional career, including championing a nearly identical bill as Attorney General,” said Vice President Joe Biden. “While that bill came up short of passage before we lost Beau, he was always confident that we would move in the right direction. This bill will make the state of Delaware safer while safeguarding every Delawarean’s rights to due process. It is a fitting tribute to Beau’s legacy.”

“Delaware has taken a substantial step forward in addressing mental health and gun safety with this thoughtful, consensus-driven piece of legislation. The Beau Biden Gun Violence Prevention Act balances due process and public safety in the ultimate effort to prevent senseless gun violence by keeping guns out of the hands of those who present a danger to themselves or others,” said Representative David Bentz. “It was an honor to stand with Vice President Joe Biden as Governor Carney signed legislation addressing an issue that meant so much to the Vice President’s son. I hope this legislation serves as a model for other states as they work through gun safety policies.”

“Delaware has a responsibility to take action on the gun violence epidemic. Today, we’re upholding that responsibility,” said Senate Majority Leader Margaret Rose Henry. “As policymakers, we have to have a good faith conversation about mental health and gun safety, but we also need to make sure that we protect due process and that we don’t perpetuate the harmful, stigmatizing myth that people with mental illness are dangerous. Two unanimous votes show that Representative Bentz struck that balance. His work on gun safety will save lives, and he deserves real praise for that.”

“The Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence is grateful to those legislators on both sides of the aisle who were willing to work together to craft this important piece of legislation. This was a bipartisan effort that will protect people in our state who might pose a threat to themselves or others,” said Dennis Greenhouse, Chairman of the Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence. “The fight against gun violence is not a partisan issue, and it does not stop here. As we continue into the final months of this session, we are optimistic that legislators will approach other common-sense gun violence bills before them with a similar commitment to action and willingness to work together to get things done.”

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DETAILS OF THE BEAU BIDEN GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION ACT:

The Beau Biden Gun Violence Prevention Act adds the following individuals to the list of persons prohibited from owning a firearm:

• Any person who has been committed to a hospital for treatment of a mental condition.
• Perpetrators of violent crimes who have been found:
  • Not guilty by reason of insanity;
  • Guilty but mentally ill;
  • Mentally incompetent to stand trial.

Those individuals have not been prohibited from owning firearms under Delaware law. The new law also requires health professionals to report to law enforcement anyone they believe presents a danger to themselves or others. Appropriate law enforcement agencies must then investigate – and may seek a court order to require individuals to relinquish firearms, if they are found to present a danger. The law, which takes effect six months after its signing, also allows affected individuals to appeal orders to the Supreme Court, and petition to have their firearms returned.

Click here to learn more about Governor Carney’s call for comprehensive gun safety reform.

Click here to watch the bill signing.

Click here for photos from the bill signing.

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Students from Maple Lane Elementary School join Governor John Carney (left) and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin at the Tulip Tree Woods Nature Preserve in Brandywine Creek State Park, dedicated today as part of the Old Growth Forest Network, a national organization working for forest preservation.

WILMINGTON – At an Arbor Day celebration today at the Tulip Tree Nature Preserve in Wilmington, DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation and the Old Growth Forest Network announced that Delaware is the first state in the nation to be recognized for dedicating a mature forest in each of its counties into the nationally-recognized Old Growth Forest Network. Each of the forests to be recognized is also a state nature preserve.

Governor John Carney joined DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin to make the announcement, during a ceremony at one of the designated nature preserves – the Tulip Tree Woods Nature Preserve in Brandywine Creek State Park.

In addition to the Tulip Tree Wood Nature Preserve, the two other preserves designated in the network of protected forests are the Fork Branch Nature Preserve in Dover and the Nanticoke River (Barnes Woods) Nature Preserve outside Seaford.

“Delaware has great outdoor spaces, and we should all take steps to protect our environment for future generations,” said Governor John Carney. “This designation will help boost Delaware’s growing eco-tourism industry, and add value to our $3.3. billion dollar tourism industry, by bringing even more visitors to our great state. We’re proud to recognize and protect the special nature of our preserves, and help promote a national effort to recognize the wonder of these areas on Arbor Day.”

“Delaware is proud to dedicate a forest in each county into the Old Growth Forest Network.” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “By doing so, we are furthering protection of forests, promoting these special places, and recognizing the importance for future generations to enjoy. We can be proud of this distinction.”

The Old Growth Forest Network is a national non-profit organization whose goal is to connect people with nature by identifying and protecting mature forests, like those found in Delaware’s three nature preserves. The network seeks to preserve, protect, and promote the few remaining stands of old-growth forest in the U.S.

The organization was founded in 2011 by scientist and author Joan Maloof of Salisbury University, now executive director of the organization, which is based in Easton, Md.

“As a Delaware native I am thrilled that my home state is the first state to have all of its counties represented in the Old Growth Forest Network,” said Maloof. “To be fair, with only three counties Delaware was one of the easiest states to complete, but it is still a significant accomplishment. To have all the forests dedicated into the network in a single day is very exciting. These forests will be forever protected from logging, and will be open to the public. Countless organisms will find the habitat they need in these shady forests, and generations of humans will find peace under their leafy canopies.”

The Old Growth Forest Network also has dedicated forests in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and is expanding across the U.S.

Media Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 93

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Pathways provides high school and postsecondary students with the opportunity to gain work-based learning experiences for in-demand careers

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Friday announced a $3.25 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to expand access to economic opportunity for Delaware students. Funding will help bolster the Delaware Pathways program, which provides high school and postsecondary students with the opportunity to gain work-based learning experiences for in-demand careers as well as earn industry credentials and early college credits.

Economists forecast that Delaware will hire or replace 30 percent of its workforce in the next six years. Delaware Pathways, which represents a partnership between Governor Carney’s office, the K-12 education system, higher education, nonprofits, the Department of Labor, and a host of other public and private leaders, aims to tackle that issue by providing students with career exploration, real-world training, and robust postsecondary preparation.

“Thanks to Pathways, education and workforce programs are designed to help young people take active steps to pursue continuing education and competitive employment,” said Governor Carney. “This generous grant will help Delaware continue its focus on in-demand occupations and where there is the greatest potential for our students to enter the workforce in middle- and high-skill occupations.”

The grant, which was announced Friday at the Fourth Annual Delaware Pathways Conference at the Chase Center in Wilmington, will support Delaware as it expands the Pathways initiative to accomplish the following by 2021:

•  Expand career pathways, including the creation of a new regional pathway in health care and continued expansion of existing pathways to connect 20,000 students with in-demand careers ranging from manufacturing, finance, information technology
• Launch a series of industry councils in partnership with the local business community to strengthen connections between employers and education and training programs
• Expand the Office of Work-Based Learning at Delaware Technical Community College, with a goal to support 2,500 high school students and another 5,000 postsecondary students in work-based learning experiences in their field of study
• Create instructional supports and teacher professional learning routines for the statewide computer science pathway in partnership with Zip Code Wilmington
• Launch summer learning opportunities for youth interested in coding and computer science in partnership with Zip Code Wilmington

The Bloomberg Philanthropies grant, which will span the course of three years, comes on the heels of similar investments in Colorado and New Orleans in 2016.

“We need to ensure that all students are provided with opportunities to access good jobs and careers that provide pathways to the middle class,” said Howard Wolfson, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies education programs. “Delaware is showing strong leadership in rethinking ways to create new opportunities for young people, recognizing that this work needs to start with the right preparation in school and continue with strong partnerships with businesses. We are happy to support Delaware’s effort to provide 20,000 students with a head start in their connection to in-demand careers.”

“The world is changing fast, and Delaware Pathways is a shining example of public and private leaders banding together around a common challenge to find solutions,” said Paul Herdman, president and CEO of the Rodel Foundation of Delaware, which shepherded the grant application process and will serve as a lead partner for the project moving forward. “Not only are we ensuring that thousands of young people are pursuing their passions and connecting with family-sustaining careers, we’re helping to build a talented and motivated workforce right here in our own backyard that will drive our economy forward.”

Massive shifts in the economy, politics, and social issues have dramatically altered how states like Delaware are preparing young people for the world they’ll inherit after graduation. Increasingly, the tech-driven, family-sustaining careers of today and tomorrow require some level of postsecondary education or training. To address that disconnect between high schools, colleges, and a rewarding career—and the reality of emerging industries like IT and healthcare—public and private leaders from around the state have banded together to help usher in a new generation of the state’s workforce.

Mark Brainard, president of Delaware Technical Community College, played a key role with the Colonial School District in getting the first career pathway started with just 27 students from William Penn High School working in the advanced manufacturing field.

“It’s been very gratifying to develop the first pathway of 27 students and see it grow to more than 9,000 in just four years. We’re excited to play a role in developing these connections for students,” said Brainard. “As the state’s intermediary on this initiative, we utilize our partnerships with business to connect students to the world of work and higher education. Delawareans have a special way of working together. These pathways have expanded because all of the various partners work together so well to benefit our students and put Delaware on the cutting edge of work-based learning.”

In addition to Delaware Tech, Rodel, and Governor Carney’s Office, key partners in Delaware include its state departments of education and labor, its Workforce Development Board, the United Way of Delaware, plus partnerships with every school district and employers in different industries throughout the state.

Delaware’s strong alignment across sectors has quickly made it a national exemplar and a recipient of targeted supports. In 2017, it was one of just 10 states to receive $2 million in grant funding through the New Skills For Youth initiative led by JPMorgan Chase in partnership with the Council of Chief State School Officers and Advance CTE.

About Delaware Pathways:
Delaware Pathways is an education and workforce partnership that has shaped extensive school reform and the development of regional Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways that accelerate academic and technical instruction, reflect the needs of the state economy, and purposefully integrate employers. Each pathway offers students the opportunity to earn an industry-recognized credential, early college credit, and relevant work experience. These instructional models are now being scaled across the state in key industry sectors such as: agriculture, education, finance, health care, hospitality and tourism, engineering and science, information technology, and manufacturing. For more information, please visit here or contact Alison May via email at: alison.may@doe.k12.de.us.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies works in over 120 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s charitable activities, including his foundation and his personal giving. In 2017, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $702 million. For more information, please visit www.bloomberg.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter.

Notable Statements of Support

• “At United Way, one of our strategic priorities is ensuring that Delaware has a workforce pipeline of diverse, talented, and well-trained young people. We are investing in efforts to improve literacy rates, and to prepare our youth for college and careers. Pathways is central to our work. We join with the governor and all our Pathways partners to celebrate this grant and to take this opportunity to re-commit to the state’s workforce development goals.” –Michelle Taylor, President and CEO, United Way of Delaware

• “It’s been very gratifying to develop the first pathway of 27 students and see it grow to more than 9,000 in just four years. We’re excited to play a role in developing these connections for students. As the state’s intermediary on this initiative, we utilize our partnerships with business to connect students to the world of work and higher education. Delawareans have a special way of working together. These pathways have expanded because all of the various partners work together so well to benefit our students and put Delaware on the cutting edge of work-based learning.” – Mark Brainard, President, Delaware Technical Community College

• “This grant reinforces the great progress we have made across the state aligning all of our Pathway stakeholders, and pushing the envelope on our strategic plan, objectives from day one at our Workforce Development Board. When opportunity strikes, Delawareans will always roll up their sleeves alongside each other – especially when it comes to supporting our schools, and the young men and women that represent our next generation of business leaders here in Delaware.” – Gary Stockbridge, CEO, Delmarva Power, and Chairman, Delaware Workforce Development Board

• “The world is changing fast, and Delaware Pathways is a shining example of public and private leaders banding together around a common challenge to find solutions. Not only are we ensuring that thousands of young people are pursuing their passions and connecting with family-sustaining careers, we’re helping to build a talented and motivated workforce right here in our own backyard that will drive our economy forward.” – Paul Herdman, President and CEO, Rodel Foundation of Delaware

• “Thanks to Pathways, education and workforce programs are designed to help young people take active steps to pursue continuing education and competitive employment. This generous grant will help Delaware continue its focus on in-demand occupations and where there is the greatest potential for our students to enter the workforce in middle- and high-skill occupations.” – Delaware Governor John Carney

• “When companies and entrepreneurs are deciding where to grow their businesses, the most important factor in their decision making is the talent of the local workforce. In today’s economy it is more important than ever that Delawareans be equipped with the best education and career training available. Our pathways initiative is a key component to that work.” – Cerron Cade, Delaware Secretary of Labor

• “Students who complete a career pathway are actualizing our definition of college and career readiness – they attain a secondary school diploma, earn an industry-recognized credential and complete early college coursework connected to a Registered Apprenticeship program or an Associate or Bachelor’s degree program at a Delaware college or university. We’re excited that this money will allow us to further strengthen and expand Pathways programs.” – Delaware Secretary of Education Susan Bunting

• “Pathways has enabled the Colonial School District to provide its middle and high school students with opportunities and access to the world of work and careers through rigorous course work, while at the same time preparing them for success at the post-secondary level.” – Colonial School District Superintendent Dusty Blakey

• “To truly prepare students to be both college and career ready, we need to do more. For students to have rewarding careers, they must be aware of their options and prepared to take the next step. We want every student to graduate from our schools with the academic and technical skills necessary to pursue postsecondary education or training that is aligned with his or her career interests, and Pathways helps us to meet that goal.” – Woodbridge School District Superintendent Heath Chasanov, head of the Delaware Chief School Officers Association

• “Zip Code Wilmington is excited about the opportunity to grow and partner with Delaware schools to expand the computer science pathway and create new opportunities for youth to develop coding skills. We are excited to engage with teachers and community partners to help grow the next generation of IT talent.” – Tariq Hook, Executive Director of Zip Code I/O

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Fourth grade students at Gallaher Elementary sweep top three spots

DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney, joined by Chief Information Officer James Collins, Christina School District Superintendent Richard Gregg, and other officials, parents and students from Christina School District, today celebrated the winners of the 2018 “Kids Safe Online” Poster Contest at Gallaher Elementary School. For the first time in the ten year history of the contest there was a complete sweep of winners from the same school. Art teacher Kelly Walzl’s fourth grade students Aubrie Rodriguez, Clayton Starkey, and Catalina Syto placed first, second and third, respectively. These students’ posters were judged to be the best among 1,400 submissions. Gallaher Elementary School has placed in the top three for the last five consecutive years and has two previous national winners.

“The importance of cyber safety cannot be overstated and the ‘Kids Safe Online’ Poster Contest is a creative way to encourage young people to be cautious about what they share on the Internet, teaching them the potential risks,” said Governor John Carney. “Awareness and education are key to ensuring our children know how to stay safe online.”

“I’d like to commend all kids that participated in this year’s contest and a special congratulations to the winners at Gallaher Elementary,” said Chief Information Officer James Collins. “We’re so glad to be able to partner with schools across the entire state to bring cyber security safety presentations and the ‘Kids Safe Online’ Poster Contest to the classroom to engage our young people on their level.”

“Congratulations to these Gallaher students for their outstanding work. Their posters will help spread this important message to their peers across the state,” said Secretary of Education Susan Bunting.

The “Kids Safe Online” poster contest is sponsored on the state level by the Delaware Department of Technology and Information. The program encourages young people to use the Internet safely and securely and engages them in creating messages and images to communicate to their peers the importance of staying safe online. The contest is run in conjunction with cyber safety presentations given in schools across the state in October, which is National Cyber Security Month. Over 1,400 students from fourth and fifth grades across Delaware submitted high quality posters for consideration. The top three state selections were also submitted to the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) for entry into its national 2018 Kids Safe Online poster contest.

For more information about how to stay safe online, please visit digiknow.dti.delaware.gov.

DOVER (April 26, 2018) – The Governor’s Welfare Employment Committee announced the winners of its 2018 TANF Employment Awards of Excellence this week as it recognized 33 employers in Delaware who hire, train and maintain positive working relationships with employees who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits, and 33 TANF clients who have succeeded in the workplace despite the challenges they have faced.
Nominations for the awards were submitted by individuals and organizations from communities across the state, and winners were selected by members of the Governor’s Welfare Employment Committee. One award is presented to an employer and an employee from each county, as well as one statewide winner from the employer and employee categories.
“People want jobs,” First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney told the 150 people gathered April 25 for the event at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino. “And the second thing is people want to be good parents.” She thanked employers for giving their new employees a chance to succeed.
The number of TANF cases, in which eligible parents receive a time-limited monthly grant, continues to decline in Delaware and across the country. In Fiscal Year 2017, there were 4,884 cases in the state, representing almost 2,000 adults and a little more than 8,000 children. The average grant was $269 a month. To get a monthly TANF benefit, most clients must work or participate in work-related activities for 20 to 40 hours per week, depending on the number of parents in the household and the age of their children.
The employee winners of the 2018 TANF Employment Awards of Excellence are:
• Sussex County: Letitia Bessicks
• Kent County: Marita Garcia
• New Castle County: Tanya Bayard
• Statewide: Leona Delli
The employer winners of the 2018 TANF Employment Awards of Excellence are:
• Sussex County: AutoZone
• Kent County: Fairfield Inn
• New Castle County: Goodwill Industries
• Statewide: United Parcel Service (UPS)
The event was hosted by the Governor’s Welfare Employment Committee, the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Labor and DART. All nominees were invited to the ceremony.
“The collaboration between state agencies, employers and clients led to the successes we honored, but, more importantly, it helped to foster self-sufficiency for our clients,” DHSS Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker said. “There can be no greater success than that.”
“Creating conditions in which businesses can be successful is Governor John Carney’s highest priority,” Labor Secretary Cerron Cade said. “He knows if businesses are successful, our families and our communities will be successful, too. Today, we recognized employers who have gone above and beyond what they are supposed to do by hiring, training and maintaining positive relationships with clients who needed that opportunity.”
In addition to the First Lady and Secretaries Walker and Cade, attendees also heard personal success stories from Nancy Tellado, a former TANF client who now works as a management analyst for DHSS’ Division of Social Services near New Castle, and Lindsey DiCarolis, who works as a senior social worker for the Division of Social Services at the Adams State Service Center in Georgetown. Hill credited a DHSS

staff person at the Porter State Service Center in Wilmington who helped her apply for TANF and other benefits after she was and her children became homeless. Now as a DHSS employee, “I encourage you to never give up.” DiCarolis said taking her three sons and leaving an abusive relationship so she could start over was difficult. “There were a lot of rough times, but I told myself I had to do it for them.”
The Twin Poets, Nnamdi Chukwuocha and Al Mills who are the poets laureate of Delaware, performed a series of poems, including “America Needs You.” “It’s very hard for a child to separate my hard time from mom’s hard time,” Mills said in praising the employers for the support they provide parents. Chukwuocha said their mother worked two jobs when he and his brother were kids, and they would live with other relatives when she didn’t have enough money to pay the electric bill. He thanked businesses for hiring TANF clients “because government alone can’t do this.”
A total of 33 employees were nominated:
• Sussex County (six nominees): Leona Delli, Letitia Bessicks, Theresa Chacon, Shane Sellers, Candace James-Waples and Heather Weist.
• Kent County (eight nominees): Victoria I. Boyd, Latisha Smith, Katie Duncan, Marita Garcia, Deja Givens, Shandora Lyles, Katrina West and Phylicia Young.
• New Castle County (19 nominees): Alicia Wilson, Tony Martinez, Chalese Smith, Darnice Howard, Samantha Plymale, Naomi Frye, Tanya Bayard, John Smith Ashura, Al-Tyreek Adams-Beach, Rosa Cortez, Leakita Millner, Amber Ross, Roxanne Spencer, Jennifer Treen, Odessa Goins, Adriana Hughes, Tanya Sharper, Erica Rivera and Jaelynn Craighead.

A total of 33 employers were nominated:
• Sussex County (11 nominees): Addus Health Care, Burger King, Mountaire Farms, IHOP, Premier Staffing Solutions, The Curiosity Shop, AutoZone, Royal Farms, Perdue, QSI and Laurel Senior Center.
• Kent County (six nominees): Addus Health Care, Boys and Girls Club, Shore Stop, Americare Home Solutions, Fairfield Inn and Wawa, Inc.,
• New Castle County (16 nominees): AAA Mid-Atlantic, UPS, Performance Staffing Solutions, Securitas Security Services, DePaul Industries, Gabriel Brothers, Inc., Always Best Care, Dust Away Cleaning, Courtyard by Marriott, Goodwill Industries, Little Hearts Childcare, Staffmark Temp to Permanent Staffing, Joe’s Crab Shack, Wawa, Inc., Integrity Staffing Solutions and Little Friends Learning Academy.

To hire a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipient or to learn more about the TANF employment initiative, contact the Delaware Department of Labor, at 302-761-8085.

TANF is a time-limited program, and work-mandatory clients can receive TANF benefits for a maximum of 36 total months in their lifetimes. To learn more about Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in Delaware, go to the DHSS website.

TO THE MEDIA: Photos of the statewide employee and employer honorees can be downloaded from DHSS’ flick site:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/deldhss/albums/72157692957138532