Delaware · 153rd General Assembly (2025-2026) · Bill
HB 47: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO BACKGROUND CHECKS.
Enacted Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
HB 47 is a bill introduced in the Delaware House on March 25, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO BACKGROUND CHECKS. Primary sponsor: Kim Williams (Democratic), Nicole Poore (Democratic). It lists 7 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (September 2, 2025): 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 Act incorporates changes made by HS1 for HB204, which was passed by both chambers during the 151st General Assembly, but never enacted into law. It removes the exemption for private schools and youth camps that allows them to use a name-based, rather than a fingerprint-based, background check or choose not to do background checks at all for employees, contractors and volunteers. This Act also authorizes the Superintendent of State Police to promulgate regulations relating to re-use of a criminal background check. The State Bureau of Identification is also required to provide subsequent criminal history information to the agency receiving background check information. Authority is given to the Department of Education to pay the costs of background checks for its employees. The Act also creates a new § 309A in Title 31, in response to a request from the federal government that the statutory authorization/requirement for private school background checks be separated from the statutory authorization for state and local government authorities. The Act also makes some technical and clarifying changes to existing statutory language. The Act takes effect on July 1, 2026 and child-serving entities and private schools must comply with the requirements by September 1, 2026. This Substitute differs from the original HB47 in that the effective date is in 2026 rather than 2025.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 7 · Republican 2
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kim Williams | Primary sponsor | Democratic | House | 19 |
| Nicole Poore | Primary sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 12 |
| Frank Cooke | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 16 |
| Stephanie Hansen | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 10 |
| Gerald Hocker | Co-sponsor | Republican | Senate | 20 |
| Spiros Mantzavinos | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 7 |
| Dave Sokola | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 8 |
| Jack Walsh | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 9 |
| Dave Wilson | Co-sponsor | Republican | Senate | 18 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Signed by Governor
- Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
- Reported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits
- Assigned to Education Committee in Senate
- Passed By House. Votes: 35 YES 6 ABSENT
- Amendment HA 1 to HS 1 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
- Amendment HA 1 to HS 1 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
- was introduced and adopted in lieu of HB 47