HB 1

  • Delaware House Bill
  • 153rd General Assembly (2025-2026)
  • Introduced in House May 21, 2025
  • Passed House May 20, 2025
  • Passed Senate Jun 26, 2025
  • Governor

An Act To Amend The Delaware Code Relating To Creation Of A Delaware Department Of Veterans Affairs.

Abstract

This Act establishes a new state-level Department of Veterans Affairs led by a cabinet-level Secretary to advocate for and administer programs relating to veterans in the State of Delaware. It is the intent of this legislation that current staff of the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs and the Office of Veterans Affairs will continue their work, but as part of the new Department of Veterans Affairs, with the potential for expanded staff and duties in accordance with annual appropriations. The Department will hire veterans wherever possible. The Commission of Veterans Affairs will continue in its current form. It will continue to oversee the Delaware Veterans Home and will serve in an advisory role to the new Secretary and Department on other matters relating to veterans. The new Department is tasked with developing and proposing strategies for the provision of alternative elder care or the establishment of one or more additional veterans homes to serve the aging veteran population. House Substitute No. 1 to House Bill No. 1 differs from the original in that the Department of Veterans Affairs will for the present remain a part of the Department of State for budgetary, administrative, and operational purposes. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with other executive branch officials, is directed to develop a transition plan to separate from the Department of State and operate as a separate Department by July 1, 2030, or such time as there will be no negative impacts to the funding for veterans programs in Delaware. The plan must be presented to the General Assembly as a Transition Report and approved through a concurrent resolution.

Bill Sponsors (31)

Sarah McBride

     
Primary

Votes


Jun 26, 2025

May 20, 2025

Actions


Jun 26, 2025

Senate

Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

Jun 10, 2025

Senate

Reported Out of Committee (Veterans Affairs) in Senate with 9 Favorable

  • Committee-Passage
  • Committee-Passage-Favorable
Veterans Affairs

May 21, 2025

Senate

Re-Assigned to Veterans Affairs Committee in Senate

  • Introduction
  • Referral-Committee
Veterans Affairs

May 20, 2025

Senate

Assigned to Executive Committee in Senate

  • Introduction
  • Referral-Committee
Executive

House

Amendment HA 1 to HS 1 - Passed In House by Voice Vote

House

Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 3 ABSENT

May 06, 2025

House

Amendment HA 1 to HS 1 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

Apr 10, 2025

House

Adopted in lieu of the original bill HB 1, and Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House

  • Introduction
  • Referral-Committee
Appropriations

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
Bill Text PDF HTML
HA 1 to HS 1 for HB 1 HTML PDF

Related Documents

Document Format
Fiscal Note PDF

Sources

Data on Open States is updated periodically throughout the day from the official website of the Delaware General Assembly.

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