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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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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with a Panel Discussion moderated by Governor Carney

Watch as 5 speakers, one musical performance, and a live art experience all answer the question “Why Wilmington?”

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.

Key Initiative of Historic Anti-Gun Violence Multi-State Agreement Between Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico

Partnership Will Collect and Analyze Data Across Multiple Disciplines on Public Efforts to Reduce Gun Violence to Better Inform Policymakers Nationwide

Fills Void Left by Federal Government’s 1996 Ban on Federally-Funded Gun Violence Research

DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, and Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló today announced the nation’s first Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, a key initiative of the historic “States for Gun Safety” coalition between Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico.

The consortium brings the thought leaders and top researchers from partner states together to undertake significant new research on all manners of gun violence, data collection and analysis across multiple disciplines. This unprecedented effort will provide the public, including policymakers, with new information to ultimately reduce the scourge of gun violence. This groundbreaking consortium fills the void left by the federal government’s 1996 ban on the use of federal funds to study gun violence, which has obstructed research efforts across the nation, including at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

“Working together, states can and should directly confront the threat of gun violence. This new consortium will provide new information and research about gun violence to inform policy discussions at the state and federal levels,” said Governor John Carney. “Better information will help us enforce laws already on the books, intercept the flow of illegal weapons across state borders, and take additional action that will make a real difference. Delaware is proud to be a part of this coalition, and I thank my fellow Governors for their leadership on this issue.”

Governor Andrew Cuomo said, “New York is proud to have the nation’s strongest gun safety laws. The federal government’s continued inaction on this issue has not only allowed the epidemic of gun violence to spread, but it has left it to the states to provide the leadership needed to confront this problem head on. The consortium is a major step in our multi-state partnership to research responsible gun safety legislation and take new steps to prevent illegal guns from crossing state lines.”

Governor Phil Murphy said, “Despite having some the toughest gun laws in the nation, New Jersey has suffered from roughly 80 percent of our gun crimes being committed with a gun trafficked across our borders. We’re losing young people across our state to the senseless epidemic of gun violence as Congress sits idly by on this issue. Those of us at the state and local level are taking matters into our hands to curb violence in our communities. That’s why I’m proud to join my fellow governors in creating the nation’s first regional gun violence research consortium.”

Governor Dannel P. Malloy said, “Gun violence is a public health emergency, and it should be treated as such. Connecticut has been a national leader in addressing this epidemic. By working together with like-minded states, we can take strides toward understanding the root causes of violence and determine the most effective prevention strategies. Connecticut has reduced violent crime at a faster rate than any state in the nation since we passed our commonsense gun legislation in 2013. This coalition is a critical step to building upon this progress.”

Governor Gina M. Raimondo said, “While Washington continues to drag its feet, in Rhode Island we’re stepping up and taking decisive action to keep our communities safe. This week I was proud to take part in the first meeting of Rhode Island’s new Gun Safety Working Group, which will help create an action plan for gun reform. The efforts of this new multi-state consortium will further bolster our work with meaningful research to help guide action on reforms across all of our states. I thank my fellow governors for their efforts and look forward to seeing the research developed by the consortium.”

Governor Charlie Baker said, “Massachusetts is pleased to have some of the nation’s strongest gun control laws and looks forward to working with other states to enhance information sharing across state lines to provide state officials and law enforcement with more resources to keep our communities safe.”

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló said, “Puerto Rico is proud to have some of the strongest regulations of permits to possess guns in the United States. At the same time, we are fighting against illegal guns in the Island. I believe this consortium of states to promote shared knowledge will go a long way towards raising awareness about the direct relationship between uncontrolled access to guns and acts of violence. This is an important step towards ending in the senseless massacres that have claimed the lives of innocent people in public institutions and schools.”

The consortium will operate between the multiple states involved, harnessing the collective research and expertise for collaborative activities among individual universities and departments. In addition to new research, the consortium will also create a central clearinghouse of existing data from institutional, federal, and multi-state sources for public use.

This month marks the anniversary ‎of two of our country’s most tragic mass shootings that are etched into the history of our society; it was eleven years ago this week that 32 people lost their lives on the campus of Virginia Tech University, and 19 years ago, 13 people were tragically killed at Columbine High school.

Listed below are the scholars from the states who are leading the consortium. A full link with their biographies is available here.

• Romain L. Alexander Policy Advisor, Office of Governor John Carney
• Eric F. Bronson, Dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Roger Williams University
• Rod K. Brunson, Dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University
• Joel Capellan, Assistant Professor of Law & Justice Studies at Rowan University
• Michaela Dunne, Manager of Law Enforcement & Justice Services at Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS)
• Ayman El-Mohandes, Dean, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy
• Sandro Galea, Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor at Boston University School of Public Health
• Anna Harvey, Professor of Politics and Director of the Public Safety Lab at New York University
• David Hemenway, Professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Christopher Herrmann, Assistant Professor in the Law and Police Science Department at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
• Heather Howard, Lecturer in Public Affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs
• Margaret K. Formica, Assistant Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at SUNY Upstate Medical University
• Allan Jiao, Professor of Law & Justice Studies at Rowan University
• Craig H. Kennedy, Provost at the University of Connecticut (UCONN)
• David M. Kennedy, Professor of Criminal Justice at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (NYC)
• Chris Kervick, Executive Director, State of Delaware Criminal Justice Council
• John M. Klofas, Professor and Director of the Center for Public Safety Initiative at the Rochester Institute of Technology
• Mike Lawlor, Undersecretary for Criminal Justice Policy and Planning, CT Office of Policy & Management and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice in the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at the University of New Haven (on leave)
• Alan Lizotte, Distinguished Professor and former Dean at the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany
• Matthew J. Miller, Professor of Health Sciences and Epidemiology at Northeastern University
• Daniel J. O’Connell, Ph.D, Senior Scientist, Center for Drug and Health Studies, University of Delaware
• James Peyser, Massachusetts Secretary of Education
• Jennifer L. Pomeranz, Assistant Professor, College of Global Public Health at New York University
• Jeremy Porter, Professor of Sociology at CUNY Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center
• William Pridemore, Distinguished Professor and Dean of the School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany
• Dermot Quinn, Lieutenant Colonel, Massachusetts State Police
• Sonali Rajan, Assistant Professor of Health Education at Teachers College, Columbia University
• Megan L. Ranney, Emergency Physician and Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital/ Alpert Medical School of Brown University
• Jaclyn Schildkraut, Assistant Professor of Public Justice and National Expert on Mass Shootings
• Donald H. Sebastian, Senior Vice-President of Technology & Business Development at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)
• Michael Siegel, Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences at Boston University School of Public Health
• Nick Simmons, Project Coordinator at the Rockefeller Institute of Government
• Robert J. Spitzer, Distinguished Service Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department at SUNY Cortland
• Sean P. Varano, Professor of Criminal Justice at Roger Williams University

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