Delaware · 153rd General Assembly (2025-2026) · Bill
SB 37: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FREE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR RELATIVES OF CERTAIN CHILDREN IN ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS.
In committee Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
SB 37 is a bill introduced in the Delaware Senate on January 10, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FREE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR RELATIVES OF CERTAIN CHILDREN IN ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS. Primary sponsor: Dave Wilson (Republican), Valerie Giltner (Republican). It lists 11 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (April 8, 2025): Stricken 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.
This Act creates a right to free legal counsel for a relative seeking to adopt a child in the relative’s family after parental rights over the child have been terminated and the child is in the custody of the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families. Relatives of a child for whom adoption is being sought who are eligible for free legal counsel in adoption proceedings include siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, first cousins, first cousins once removed, great-grandparents, grandaunts or granduncles, half-siblings, stepparents, stepsiblings, stepaunts or stepuncles, or stepgrandparents. 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 3 · Republican 9
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dave Wilson | Primary sponsor | Republican | Senate | 18 |
| Valerie Giltner | Primary sponsor | Republican | House | 37 |
| Eric Buckson | Co-sponsor | Republican | Senate | 16 |
| Ron Gray | Co-sponsor | Republican | House | 38 |
| Gerald Hocker | Co-sponsor | Republican | Senate | 20 |
| Kyra Hoffner | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 14 |
| Kendra Johnson | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 5 |
| Dave Lawson | Co-sponsor | Republican | Senate | 15 |
| Spiros Mantzavinos | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 7 |
| Bryant Richardson | Co-sponsor | Republican | Senate | 21 |
| Stell Parker Selby | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Bryan Shupe | Co-sponsor | Republican | House | 36 |
| Mike Smith | Co-sponsor | Republican | House | 22 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Stricken in Senate
- Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate