(Courtesy of 6abc)
This story originally appeared on 6abc.
A number of bills in Delaware have been signed into law in recent months that are either in effect ahead of the New Year or will be shortly after 2024 begins.
The new laws cover a wide range of topics including a minimum wage increase, raises for teachers, new gun laws and legalized marijuana.
Here’s what you need to know:
Marijuana legalization: House Bill 1 and House Bill 2 became law without Gov. John Carney’s signature. The two pieces of legislation remove all state-level civil and criminal penalties for simple marijuana possession and create a highly regulated industry to conduct recreational marijuana sales in Delaware.
Read more at Delaware.gov
Minimum wage increase: The minimum wage in Delaware will increase to $13.25 per hour in 2024, and will increase again to $15.00 per hour in 2025.
Read more at Delaware.gov
Raises for teachers: The FY24 budget included a 9 percent pay raise for classroom teachers, and a 3 percent raise for all of those who work in public education.
Read more at Delaware.gov
Roadway safety: Six pieces of legislation signed by Gov. Carney included a bill to:
Read more at Delaware.gov
Guns banned at polling stations: A new law bans guns at polling stations in Delaware except for: limits those individuals who may possess a firearm at a polling place on an Election Day to the following: (1) law enforcement officers, (2) commissioned security guards acting in their official capacity, (3) constables acting in their official capacity, and (4) active-duty members of the United States Armed Forces and Delaware National Guard acting in their official capacity.
Read more at Delaware.gov
School gun ban: A new law makes it a crime for a person to possess a firearm in a Safe School and Recreation Zone except a police officer or a constable or active-duty member of the armed forces who is acting in an official capacity within the Safe School and Recreation Zone.
Read more at Delaware.gov
Automatic voter registration: Every person who completes an in-person or online application for the issuance or renewal of their Delaware driver license, learner permit, or identification card or completes an in-person or online application to change their name or address on these documents, and is not already registered to vote, is of sufficient age, and whose citizenship status has been confirmed by the DMV, is automatically registered to vote by the DOE.
Read more at Delaware.gov
Electric vehicle rebate program: The Clean Vehicle Rebate Program provides incentives for Delawareans and Delaware businesses to buy or lease new battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Read more at Delaware.gov
Right to representation during eviction: The new budget includes funding to support a tenant’s right to representation in eviction proceedings.
Read more at Delaware.gov
State employee bereavement: A new law provides Delaware state employees who suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth or other loss, a maximum of 5 days of paid bereavement leave.
Read more at Delaware.gov
Greenhouse gas legislation: A new law establishes a statutory target of greenhouse gas emissions reductions over the medium and long term to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions on the State.
Read more at Delaware.gov