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

SB 31: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN BURIAL BENEFITS.

In committee 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

SB 31 is a bill introduced in the Delaware Senate on January 3, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEE PENSION PLAN BURIAL BENEFITS. Primary sponsor: Darius Brown (Democratic), Marie Pinkney (Democratic), Dave Wilson (Republican), Stephanie Bolden (Democratic). It lists 8 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (March 12, 2025): Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate.

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.

Section 1 of this Act increases the burial benefit for individuals receiving a pension under the State Employees’ Pension Plan (Chapter 55 of Title 29 of the Delaware Code) from $7,000 to $10,000. The amount of this benefit has not been increased since 2001 (See 73 Del. Laws, c. 146, § 5). Section 1 of this Act directly increases the amount of the burial benefit for individuals receiving a pension under the State Employees’ Pension Plan and also increases the funeral benefits under additional pension plans because the amount of the benefits under the following pension plans is the same as the amount under § 5546 of Title 29: • The State Police Pension Plan, Chapter 83 of Title 11. • The Delaware County and Municipal Police and Firefighter Pension Plan, Chapter 88 of Title 11. • The early retirement option for state employees, Chapter 53 of Title 29. In addition, Section 1 of this Act increases the reasonable funeral expenses permitted in a wrongful death action under § 3724(d)(4) of Title 10 because the maximum for these damages is the amount under § 5546 of Title 29. Section 2 of this Act delays the effect of this Act until October 1, 2025, to provide time to implement this Act after the enactment of the fiscal year 2026 appropriations act containing the funding for this Act. 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 8 · Republican 4

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Darius BrownPrimary sponsorDemocraticSenate2
Marie PinkneyPrimary sponsorDemocraticSenate13
Dave WilsonPrimary sponsorRepublicanSenate18
Stephanie BoldenPrimary sponsorDemocraticHouse2
Eric BucksonCo-sponsorRepublicanSenate16
Stephanie HansenCo-sponsorDemocraticSenate10
Debra HeffernanCo-sponsorDemocraticHouse6
Russ HuxtableCo-sponsorDemocraticSenate6
Brian PettyjohnCo-sponsorRepublicanSenate19
Nicole PooreCo-sponsorDemocraticSenate12
Jack WalshCo-sponsorDemocraticSenate9
Lyndon YearickCo-sponsorRepublicanHouse34

“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. Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate
  2. Reported Out of Committee (Executive) in Senate with 7 On Its Merits
  3. Introduced and Assigned to Executive Committee in Senate

Sources

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