General Assembly returns to Dover Tuesday after six weeks of budget hearings

After six weeks of hearings on the fiscal year 2012 budget, the Delaware General Assembly returns to Dover Tuesday.  Lawmakers will also start to take on a number of issues unrelated to the budget. 

When lawmakers get back together one bill pre-filed would require the Department of Education to create uniform standards for school discipline and steps involved with alternative placement and expulsion of students.  The House School Discipline Task Force reviewed the state’s 15-year-old code for student discipline.  State Representative Byron Scott (D-Dover), who served on the task force, says the bill would address inconsistencies among school districts and charter schools in how serious offenses are dealt with.

“We’re not looking to make all school districts’ codes of conduct uniform, just one area,” Scott said.  “But if you’re going to remove a student from school, those rules and procedures should be consistent up and down the state.”

Another measure introduced for this session would regulate door-to-door sales by requiring solicitors to wear ID badges and restrict their hours.  Also, legislation that would expand the validity of a Delaware driver’s license from five years to eight years has been introduced.  The measure is designed to reduce the workload of the Department of Motor Vehicles. 

Representative Peter Schwartzkopf (D-Rehoboth Beach) has again introduced a bill to authorize a new casino each in New Castle and Sussex counties.  Another bill would create a tax check-off donation program to allow Delaware taxpayers to contribute to a fund that protects the White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic Area.