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Delaware · 153rd General Assembly (2025-2026) · Bill

HB 409: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROSTITUTION.

Enacted Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

HB 409 is a bill introduced in the Delaware House on May 7, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PROSTITUTION. Primary sponsor: Kim Williams (Democratic), Krista Griffith (Democratic), Nicole Poore (Democratic). It lists 1 additional sponsor. Most recent recorded action (September 14, 2026): Signed by Governor.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

This adds knowingly “operating”, “conducting”, or “advertising” prostitution businesses as acts that constitute promoting prostitution in the second degree under under § 1352 of Title 11. This Act also defines “illicit massage establishment” and clarifies that a person may be guilty of promoting prostitution in the second degree under § 1352 of Title 11 for managing, supervising, and controlling an illicit massage establishment. Likewise, under this Act, a person may be guilty of promoting prostitution in the second degree for operating, conducting, or advertising an illicit massage establishment. This Act defines “illicit massage establishment” as an establishment that facilitates prostitution using the cover of either of the following: (1) A massage establishment, as defined in § 5302 of Title 24. (2) A place where the practice of massage and bodywork, as defined in § 5302 of Title 24, is offered. This Act’s definition is based on those used by national and state human trafficking prevention organizations. Law enforcement has noted a trend where an illicit massage establishment is shut down only to be reopened again by the same operators. By ensuring it is clear that promoting prostitution in the second degree is an available offense to charge, this Act intends to dissuade the operation and reopening of illicit massage establishments. This Act updates internal references elsewhere in the Code to account for the addition of subsections in § 1352 to remove the undesignated paragraph. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 4

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Kim WilliamsPrimary sponsorDemocraticHouse19
Krista GriffithPrimary sponsorDemocraticHouse12
Nicole PoorePrimary sponsorDemocraticSenate12
Cyndie RomerCo-sponsorDemocraticHouse25

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Signed by Governor
  2. Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
  3. Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits
  4. Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
  5. Passed By House. Votes: 35 YES 1 NO 5 ABSENT
  6. Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 2 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits
  7. Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source