Delaware House approves utility shutoff protections, school remote‑comment rule and primary date change

DOVER, Del. — On April 8, 2025, the Delaware House of Representatives approved legislation that updates customer protections against utility disconnections, sets a new requirement for school boards to offer remote public comment, and moves the statewide primary date, while adopting several ceremonial resolutions by voice vote.

The most consequential measure, House Substitute 1 for House Bill 62, creates new limits and procedural requirements for utilities seeking to terminate residential electric and gas service for nonpayment. Representative Ross Levin, the bill sponsor, described the package as an effort to modernize protections last written in the early 2000s and to reflect current communication methods. "We need to be doing everything we can to contact individuals and allow them to rectify their situation," Ross Levin said on the House floor. The bill— amended in committee and on the floor—passed 28–12 with one member absent.

Under the amendment adopted on the floor, utilities must use weather monitoring at the airport in the county where a dwelling is located, make at least two attempts to contact an account holder during the heating season (reduced from three), and may use electronic notice at customers' preference rather than first-class mail. The amendment raised the effective implementation window from 60 to 90 days at the request of stakeholder Delmarva Power and allowed Friday shutoffs only where the utility can restore service outside normal business hours and on weekends. The bill also prohibits termination of service between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1 and extends protections to municipal electric companies. The measure passed after floor discussion about balancing consumer protections and utility operations.

The House also passed House Bill 64, as amended, which requires school boards to provide a method for the public to attend meetings remotely and to submit public comment remotely. Representative Romer, sponsor of the bill, said the amendment adds an effective date of Sept. 2, 2025, to align the change with the school year. Romer noted there is no mandated platform and that the Department of Technology and Information (DTI) identified platforms that could support such access for under $200 a year. The bill passed the House by roll call, 38–2 with one member absent.

Lawmakers approved House Bill 65 to move Delaware’s statewide, county and municipal primary elections to the fourth Tuesday in April, corresponding with the presidential primary. Representative Stephanie T. Bolden, the sponsor, argued the change would increase turnout and save state and local governments money, saying the change would save roughly $1.5 million. The bill passed 39–1 with one member absent.

House Bill 90 with House Amendment 1, which adjusts statutory references related to Sussex County Vocational‑Technical High School and maintains tax-code references while modifying enrollment language tied to a certificate of need, passed by roll call, 39–0 with two members absent. Representative Short, the sponsor, said the amendment restored the tax references and explained the school will phase enrollment up to the 1,800‑student capacity required by the certificate of need.

Several ceremonial and recognition measures passed by voice vote during the same session: House Concurrent Resolution 23 (Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the Capitol), House Concurrent Resolution 24 (Autism Acceptance and Inclusion Month, recognizing Autism Delaware), Senate Concurrent Resolution 44 (designating April 11, 2025, as National Pet Day in Delaware), Senate Concurrent Resolution 43 (recognizing Holy Week and Passover), and Senate Concurrent Resolution 45 (Black Maternal Health Awareness Week), the latter of which was temporarily tabled and later lifted from the table and passed.

Votes at a glance

- House Substitute 1 for House Bill 62 (utility shutoff protections, with House Amendment 1): Passed 28–12–1 (yes–no–absent); sponsor: Representative Ross Levin; outcome: approved. Major amendment details: weather monitoring at county airport, two contact attempts during heating season, account‑holder language, heat index threshold raised to 95°F for cooling protections, notice via electronic methods allowed, effective-date implementation window increased to 90 days, defenses for weekend restorations, prohibition of terminations Dec. 21–Jan. 1, extension to municipal electric utilities.

- House Bill 64 with House Amendment 1 (school board remote attendance and public comment; amendment adds effective date Sept. 2, 2025): Passed 38–2–1; sponsor: Representative Romer; outcome: approved.

- House Bill 65 (move primary date to fourth Tuesday in April): Passed 39–1–1; sponsor: Representative Stephanie T. Bolden; outcome: approved; sponsor stated estimated savings of $1.5 million.

- House Bill 90 with House Amendment 1 (Sussex County Vocational‑Technical High School statutory adjustments): Passed 39–0–2; sponsor: Representative Short; outcome: approved.

- House Concurrent Resolution 23 (Alpha Kappa Alpha Day at the Capitol): Passed by voice vote; sponsor: Representative Cam (Kamala) Smith; outcome: adopted.

- House Concurrent Resolution 24 (Autism Acceptance and Inclusion Month; recognizes Autism Delaware): Passed by voice vote; sponsor: Representative Williams; outcome: adopted.

- Senate Concurrent Resolution 44 (National Pet Day): Passed by voice vote; sponsor: Senator Walsh and Representative Williams; outcome: adopted.

- Senate Concurrent Resolution 43 (Holy Week and Passover recognition): Passed by voice vote; sponsor: Senator Richardson and Representatives Shoop and Dukes; outcome: adopted.

- Senate Concurrent Resolution 45 (Black Maternal Health Awareness Week): Initially tabled, lifted from the table and passed by voice vote after guests were introduced; sponsor: Senator Pinkney and Representative Smith; outcome: adopted.

Context and next steps

Supporters of the utility protections said the updated rules reflect modern communication methods and extend life‑saving guardrails during extreme temperatures; utilities and stakeholders such as Delmarva asked for technical changes that were incorporated on the floor. Opponents raised concerns about regulatory impact on businesses and potential long‑term cost effects on ratepayers during floor debate. Representative Collins expressed concern that repeated regulatory requirements on businesses can have cumulative cost impacts and said she planned to vote against the utility bill.

The school‑board remote‑comment law includes an explicit effective date to give districts time to implement systems. The elections bill now moves to the Senate for concurrence. The ceremonial resolutions will be sent to the Senate or filed as adopted concurrently as appropriate. No new fiscal notes were announced on the House floor for the bills described; sponsors reported consultation with the controller general's office, DTI and other stakeholders.

Lawmakers recessed the House until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9.