Governor Markell, Lt. Gov. Denn, AG Biden Unveil Bill to Require Reporting of Lost, Stolen Firearms

(Newark, DE)   Surrounded by members of the Delaware State Police and other law enforcement agencies, Governor Jack Markell today joined Lt. Gov. Matt Denn and Attorney General Beau Biden to unveil legislation that would require gun owners to notify police whenever their firearms are lost or stolen.

The bill is one of five gun safety measures being proposed by Gov. Markell, Lt. Gov. Denn and Attorney General Biden in the wake of the Newtown, CT massacre and other recent mass shootings.  The prime sponsors of the bill are Sen. Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington East) and Rep. Michael Barbieri (D-Newark).

“Far too often, guns that are stolen or lost wind up being used to commit crimes,” said Governor Markell.  “If we’re serious about keeping guns out of the wrong hands, we need to do a better job of accounting for these weapons.  Reporting a lost or stolen weapon is easy, it’s responsible, and it makes our streets safer.”

The legislation would require gun owners to report the loss or theft of their firearm to police within 48 hours of discovery.  (The reporting obligation does not start until the owner discover that the firearm is missing.)  Owners may report the loss or theft to their local police department or any Delaware State Police Troop.  Violators will be subject to a fine of $100 to $500 for a first offense.  Second and subsequent offenses would be class G felonies.

“This is part of a larger, multi-dimensional approach we are taking as a state to address gun violence,” said Lt. Governor Matt Denn. “From reporting lost and stolen weapons to ensuring mental health services for our children and more programs for them after school and in the summer, Delawareans should be working together to address the issue of gun violence and moving towards a safer Delaware for all of us.”

“This is a common-sense proposal that will help law enforcement keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” Biden said. “All too often prosecutors in my office are confronted with defendants who claim their weapon was lost or stolen, when in reality that gun was purchased and then immediately handed over to a criminal who is not legally allowed to have a gun. Under this bill, if a gun is legitimately lost or stolen, the police will know right away. This is an important piece of our balanced approach to reduce gun violence and protect our children.”

“It is our intention to promote common sense gun safety legislation. This will be directed towards the safety of all Delawareans and the rights of law abiding and responsible owners of firearms,” said Lewis D. Schiliro, Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security.

“We need to do a better job of tracing weapons used in crimes.  This bill will provide police with an important tool in doing just that,” said Sen. Henry.  “In addition, this bill will also promote more responsible gun ownership by requiring people to notify law enforcement when their weapon is missing.”

In addition to Sen. Henry and Rep. Barbieri, the other bill sponsors include Sens. Patricia Blevins, Karen Peterson and Nicole Poore, and Reps. Val Longhurst, John Viola, Larry Mitchell, Helene Keeley, Bryon Short, Deb Heffernan, Ed Osienski, John Kowalko and Paul Baumbach.

Photos are on Flickr.


Lt. Governor Denn in New Castle County on Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Visits Mount Pleasant Elementary School for Banner Presentation
Speaks with Adult Education students at West End Neighborhood House
Participates in Announcement with DANA and Wilmington University

WILMINGTON, Del., (Monday, February 18, 2013) – On Tuesday, February 19th, Lt. Governor Matt Denn will visit Mount Pleasant Elementary School to present them with their banner for being a 2012 winner of the state’s Reward, Recognition and Distinguished Title I Schools and Schools of Continued Excellence Awards.

Mount Pleasant is a Recognition School, chosen for exceptional performance and/or closing the achievement gap. Lt. Governor Denn will be joined by Principal Joyce Skrobot, teachers and students. He will visit classrooms, talk with students and administrators during his visit. He will meet with their Teacher of the Year and stop by the school spelling bee.

The Lt. Governor will then visit West End Neighborhood House where he will talk with approximately 25 students in the adult education and workforce development classes.

Finally, Lt. Governor Denn will participate in the press conference announcing a new partnership between the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) and Wilmington University. DANA and Wilmington University have partnered in a unique endeavor to strengthen the nonprofit sector by furthering and broadening the education of its workforce by announcing an exciting new course scholarship program for employees of the nonprofit sector, to be managed by the DANA.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013
9:00am – 11:00am     Banner Presentation/School Visit
Mount Pleasant Elementary School
500 Duncan Road
Wilmington

12:30pm – 1:30pm     Visits West End Neighborhood House
710 N. Lincoln Street
Wilmington

2:00pm – 2:45pm       DANA/Wilmington University Announcement
Wilmington University New Castle Campus
320 N. DuPont Highway
Doberstein Admissions Center Auditorium
New Castle


Statement From Lieutenant Governor Matthew Denn On Today’s New Castle County Courthouse Shootings

WILMINGTON – We are saddened by and angry about what happened at the New Castle County Courthouse this morning.  This is an active case, so although the Governor and I have both received regular briefings on the investigation, I will defer any comments on that to our law enforcement personnel.

I have spoken to both Capitol Police officers who were injured by gunfire today, and both of them are doing well.  I had a chance to check on one officer in person, along with his family, down at Christiana Hospital earlier today.  The other officer had already been released but I spoke to him on the phone.  The Governor has spoken to both officers by phone.  We are very grateful to them for their actions today.

And our thoughts, of course, are with the families of the victims who did not survive this senseless act of violence.


Lt. Governor Visits Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center

DOVER, Del., (February 6, 2013) – Today, Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn will visit Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center in the Milford School District to present them with their banner for being a 2012 winner of the state’s Reward, Recognition and Distinguished Title I Schools and Schools of Continued Excellence Awards. Morris ECC is a Recognition School and a Title I Distinguished school awardee.

Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center, along with John M. Clayton Elementary School in Frankford, were been selected as 2012 National Title I Distinguished Schools. Both schools were honored during the 2013 National Title I Conference in Nashville, TN, which was held January 21 -24, 2013. The conference attracted more than 3,000 Title I professionals from across the country who gathered to honor these schools as well as to share best practices and learn about innovative education programs.

Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center was selected for its outstanding performance in closing the achievement gap between student groups. Lt. Governor Denn will be joined by Principal Elizabeth Conaway and representatives from the Delaware Department of Education.

These awards, created by legislation spearheaded by the Lt. Governor and passed by the Delaware General Assembly in 2009, formerly were called Academic Achievement Awards and annually gave five public schools $150,000 each for significantly closing the achievement gap and/or exceeding adequate yearly progress on state tests for two or more consecutive years.

This year, because of the state’s federal Race to the Top funding and the U.S. Department of Education’s approval of a new state school accountability system for Delaware, the Delaware Department of Education was able to expand the number of schools recognized from five to 19, in four categories.  A majority of the program is aligned with the former Academic Achievement Award program. The continuation of that program as provided by the RTTT grant funding.  The RTTT grant provides funding for this through 2014.

Morris ECC, along with most of the other schools, received $50,000.  As in years past, each school will appoint a committee (with administration, teacher, support staff and parent representation) to determine how the award will be used. Winners were selected based on 2011-12 data.

Background: Based on a combination of academic achievement of their students and the creative and innovative programs that contribute to their success, sixty-seven schools nationwide have been selected by their individual states as National Title I Distinguished Schools this year. They join hundreds of other distinguished schools making a difference for our nation’s Title I children. These schools demonstrate a wide array of strengths, including team approaches to teaching and learning, focused professional development opportunities for staff, individualized programs for student success and strong partnerships between the school, parents and the community. What makes National Title I Distinguished Schools’ stories especially powerful are the documented student achievement gains that have resulted from their innovations.

Title I is the largest federally funded, pre-collegiate education program in the country, providing more than $17 billion in federal aid to schools and districts serving students in poverty. The goal of Title I is to ensure that all children, especially those living in economically disadvantaged conditions, have the opportunity to receive a high quality education. Schools selected for national recognition must have a poverty rate of at least 35 percent for the selected year and have met or exceeded state standards for making adequate yearly progress for two or more consecutive years.

The National Title I Association has been selecting examples of superior Title I school programs for national recognition through the National Title I Distinguished Schools program since 1996. It is sponsored by the National Title I Association. To learn more about all National Title I Distinguished Schools and the other programs of the National Title I Association visit http://www.titlei.org/.

2:15 – 3:15pm    Evelyn I. Morris Early Childhood Center
8609 Third Street
Lincoln, DE 19960


State Task Force To Control Workers’ Compensation Rates Convened

Lt. Governor Denn to Head Effort, First Meeting Scheduled for February 8

DOVER – Governor Jack Markell announced this week that he has asked Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn to head the state’s new Workers’ Compensation Task Force created by HJR3, established by the General Assembly and Governor to address the 26% increase in average workers compensation rates over the last two years.

The Governor and General Assembly have also appointed a number of other task force members.  In all, 20 persons will serve on the task force.

Lieutenant Governor Denn, who worked with the General Assembly in 2006 and 2007 to enact workers compensation reforms that cut rates by over 40%, expressed confidence that the task force would be able to make recommendations that would stem the recent increase in rates.  “We know this problem can be addressed because we did it six years ago,” Denn said.  “The reforms we enacted worked.  We need to find out what changed during the last two years and fix it.”

Denn said that the task force would hold its first meeting at 9:00 a.m. on February 8, 2013, and that meetings would continue through early May.  All of the meetings will be open to the public, provide an opportunity for public comment, and will be audio-recorded and posted on the Lieutenant Governor’s website.  Additionally, all documents reviewed by the task force will be posted on the Lieutenant Governor’s website.

“As the state’s Insurance Commissioner, Lt. Governor Denn played an integral role in drafting the 2007 update of Delaware’s workers’ compensation statute,” said Rich Heffron, Interim President and Sr. Vice President Government Affairs for the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce.  “His experience and expertise will serve him well as the Chair of the Workers Compensation Task Force. I look forward to working with him and the other members of the task force.”

Lt. Governor Denn is looking forward to working with all members of the task force including the 4 representatives of the General Assembly appointed to serve.

“We all know that workers’ compensation rates play an important part in Delaware’s ability to keep jobs and compete for new ones,” said Senate President Pro Tem Patricia Blevins (D-Elsmere).  “It’s important to Delaware’s competitive position to take a hard look at how these rates are set and see what we can do lower them.”

“I am happy to serve as a member of the Workers’ Compensation Task Force. Being an independent businessman for more than 40 years, I know that workers’ compensation is one of our most costly expenses,” said Sen. Gerald Hocker (R-Ocean View). “I would like to see lower rates and it is my hope we can find a solution that is business-friendly.”

Rep. Bryon Short, who sponsored the resolution creating the task force, said he hopes to build upon a similar workers’ compensation task force that succeeded in updating state law in 2007.  “The 2007 workers’ compensation review and changes have resulted in benefits for Delaware’s small business community while ensuring that employees continue to receive the coverage they need to recover from workplace injuries,” said Rep. Short (D-Highland Woods). “As co-chair of the House Small Business Caucus and a small business owner, I have been following the significant workers’ compensation rate increases – nearly 26 percent – over the last two years. I believe this is a critical time to reconstitute the task force to assess what was done right and where we can further improve Delaware’s worker’s compensation system.”

State Representative Ruth Briggs King (R-Georgetown) stated, “I am looking forward to serving on this committee and addressing some of the significant concerns facing small business owners in Delaware as another increase in workers’ compensation premiums takes effect.  Over the last several years, our small business men and women in this state have continually been hit hard by a sluggish economy and the latest rate increase only compounds the problem.  It is my hope that this task force will offer real solutions when it comes to controlling workers’ comp costs for the many struggling small business owners in Delaware.”

Friday, February 8, 2013
9:00am – 10:00am

Carvel State Office Building
820 N. French St.
Governor’s Conference Room, 12th Floor
Wilmington, DE 19801