Bill Commons

DE HB 15

enacted

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PLAY-BASED LEARNING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

Delaware · 2025-2026 Regular Session (153rd General Assembly) · lower

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Quick answers

Did DE HB 15 pass?

Yes. DE HB 15 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2025-09-02): Signed by Governor

What is DE HB 15 about?

Like House Bill No. 15, this Act permits early childhood educators in the public schools to use and encourage play-based learning in their classrooms and in their curriculum. This Act permits local education agencies to provide early childhood professional development in play-based learning, which may include professional development programs developed by the Department of Education. This Act also permits the Department to promulgate regulations for purposes of implementing this Act. This House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill No. 15 incorporates the changes from House Amendment 1 to House Bill No. 15 with respect to the definitions of early childhood education and early childhood educators encompassing education from prekindergarten through second grade, adding topics that may be included in materials developed to provide ongoing early childhood professional development in play-based learning, and making technical corrections for clarity. This House Substitute also updates the definition of “play” and “play-based learning” contained in House Bill No. 15 and adds a definition for “guided play”.

Who sponsors DE HB 15?

David P. Sokola, Nicole Poore, Franklin D. Cooke and 17 others are the primary sponsors of DE HB 15.

Description

Like House Bill No. 15, this Act permits early childhood educators in the public schools to use and encourage play-based learning in their classrooms and in their curriculum. This Act permits local education agencies to provide early childhood professional development in play-based learning, which may include professional development programs developed by the Department of Education. This Act also permits the Department to promulgate regulations for purposes of implementing this Act. This House Substitute No. 1 for House Bill No. 15 incorporates the changes from House Amendment 1 to House Bill No. 15 with respect to the definitions of early childhood education and early childhood educators encompassing education from prekindergarten through second grade, adding topics that may be included in materials developed to provide ongoing early childhood professional development in play-based learning, and making technical corrections for clarity. This House Substitute also updates the definition of “play” and “play-based learning” contained in House Bill No. 15 and adds a definition for “guided play”.

Introduced
2025-04-03
Latest action
2025-09-02 — Signed by Governor
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • David P. Sokolaprimary
  • Nicole Pooreprimary
  • Franklin D. Cookeprimary
  • John "Jack" Walshprimary
  • Cyndie Romerprimary
  • Michael F. Smithprimary
  • Dave G. Lawsonprimary
  • Bryan W. Shupeprimary
  • Melanie Ross Levinprimary
  • Laura V. Sturgeonprimary
  • Sarah McBrideprimary
  • William Bushprimary
  • Claire Snyder-Hallprimary
  • David L. Wilsonprimary
  • Josue O Ortegaprimary
  • Eric Morrisonprimary
  • Bryan Townsendprimary
  • Russell Huxtableprimary
  • Brian Pettyjohnprimary
  • Sherae'a Mooreprimary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2025-09-02

    Signed by Governor

    executive-signature

  2. 2025-06-30

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

    passage

  3. 2025-06-18

    Reported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  4. 2025-06-12

    Assigned to Education Committee in Senate

    introduction,referral-committee

  5. 2025-06-12

    Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 3 ABSENT

    passage

  6. 2025-04-03

    was introduced and adopted in lieu of HB 15

    introduction

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • SM

    2025-06-12 · pass · 38-0

    Member-level votes (41)
    • Stephanie T. Bolden: yes
    • Frank Burns: yes
    • William Bush: yes
    • William J. Carson: yes
    • Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha: yes
    • Richard G. Collins: yes
    • Franklin D. Cooke: yes
    • Daniel B. Short: yes
    • Timothy D. Dukes: yes
    • Mara Gorman: yes
    • Ronald E. Gray: yes
    • Krista Griffith: yes
    • Kerri Evelyn Harris: yes
    • Debra Heffernan: yes
    • Kevin S Hensley: yes
    • Jeff Hilovsky: yes
    • Valerie Jones Giltner: yes
    • Kendra Johnson: yes
    • Kimberly Williams: yes
    • Kamela T Smith: yes
    • Larry Lambert: yes
    • Sean M. Lynn: yes
    • Michael F. Smith: yes
    • Melissa Minor-Brown: yes
    • Shannon Morris: yes
    • Eric Morrison: yes
    • DeShanna U Neal: yes
    • Josue O Ortega: yes
    • Edward S. Osienski: yes
    • Stell Parker Selby: other
    • Sophie Phillips: yes
    • Charles S Postles Jr.: yes
    • Cyndie Romer: yes
    • Melanie Ross Levin: yes
    • Sherae'a Moore: yes
    • Bryan W. Shupe: yes
    • Claire Snyder-Hall: other
    • Jeffrey N. Spiegelman: yes
    • Jesse R. Vanderwende: other
    • Madinah Wilson-Anton: yes
    • Lyndon D. Yearick: yes

  • SM

    2025-06-30 · pass · 21-0

    Member-level votes (21)
    • Darius J. Brown: yes
    • Eric Buckson: yes
    • Daniel Cruce: yes
    • Stephanie L. Hansen: yes
    • Gerald W. Hocker: yes
    • Kyra L. Hoffner: yes
    • Russell Huxtable: yes
    • Dave G. Lawson: yes
    • S. Elizabeth Lockman: yes
    • Spiros Mantzavinos: yes
    • Trey Paradee: yes
    • Brian Pettyjohn: yes
    • Marie Pinkney: yes
    • Nicole Poore: yes
    • Bryant L. Richardson: yes
    • Ray Seigfried: yes
    • David P. Sokola: yes
    • Laura V. Sturgeon: yes
    • Bryan Townsend: yes
    • John "Jack" Walsh: yes
    • David L. Wilson: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142041

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T03:53:51.443619Z

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