Bill Commons

DE HB 26

enacted

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO NUMBER PLATES.

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

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Quick answers

Did DE HB 26 pass?

Yes. DE HB 26 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2025-08-21): Signed by Governor

What is DE HB 26 about?

This Act makes it unlawful to possess, operate any motor vehicle with, purchase, install, manufacture, sell, offer to sell, or otherwise distribute a number plate flipping device. A “number plate flipping device” means a manual, electric, or mechanical device designed or adapted to be installed on a motor vehicle that does either of the following: a. Switch between two or more number plates for the purpose of allowing a motor vehicle operator to change the number plate displayed on the operator's vehicle; or b. Hide a number plate from view by turning the number plate so that the number plate registration number is not visible. The penalty for violation of this statute is for the first offense, a fine not less than $50 nor more than $200, imprisonment not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days, or both. For each subsequent like offense, such person shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $300, be imprisoned not less than 90 days nor more than 6 months, or both. The Act also makes technical changes to existing code language to conform to the Legislative Drafting Manual. A reference to farm vehicles being exempt from registration is removed, because that exemption was removed from the Code in 2014. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 28 of Article IV of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to create a new crime within the jurisdiction of the Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, or Justice of the Peace Court.

Who sponsors DE HB 26?

Josue O Ortega, Brian Pettyjohn, Russell Huxtable and 11 others are the primary sponsors of DE HB 26.

Description

This Act makes it unlawful to possess, operate any motor vehicle with, purchase, install, manufacture, sell, offer to sell, or otherwise distribute a number plate flipping device. A “number plate flipping device” means a manual, electric, or mechanical device designed or adapted to be installed on a motor vehicle that does either of the following: a. Switch between two or more number plates for the purpose of allowing a motor vehicle operator to change the number plate displayed on the operator's vehicle; or b. Hide a number plate from view by turning the number plate so that the number plate registration number is not visible. The penalty for violation of this statute is for the first offense, a fine not less than $50 nor more than $200, imprisonment not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days, or both. For each subsequent like offense, such person shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $300, be imprisoned not less than 90 days nor more than 6 months, or both. The Act also makes technical changes to existing code language to conform to the Legislative Drafting Manual. A reference to farm vehicles being exempt from registration is removed, because that exemption was removed from the Code in 2014. This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 28 of Article IV of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to create a new crime within the jurisdiction of the Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, or Justice of the Peace Court.

Introduced
2024-12-19
Latest action
2025-08-21 — Signed by Governor
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Josue O Ortegaprimary
  • Brian Pettyjohnprimary
  • Russell Huxtableprimary
  • Lyndon D. Yearickprimary
  • Franklin D. Cookeprimary
  • Michael F. Smithprimary
  • Daniel B. Shortprimary
  • Melanie Ross Levinprimary
  • Stell Parker Selbyprimary
  • Laura V. Sturgeonprimary
  • Mara Gormanprimary
  • William J. Carsonprimary
  • John "Jack" Walshprimary
  • Kimberly Williamsprimary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2025-08-21

    Signed by Governor

    executive-signature

  2. 2025-06-26

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

    passage

  3. 2025-04-17

    Reported Out of Committee (Environment, Energy & Transportation) in Senate with 7 Favorable

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  4. 2025-03-25

    Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in Senate

    introduction,referral-committee

  5. 2025-03-25

    Passed By House. Votes: 39 YES 2 ABSENT

    passage

  6. 2025-03-18

    Reported Out of Committee (Public Safety & Homeland Security) in House with 4 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  7. 2024-12-19

    Introduced and Assigned to Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee in House

    introduction,referral-committee

Versions

Not provided by source.

Documents

Not provided by source.

Votes

  • 2/3

    2025-03-25 · pass · 39-0

    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: other
    • 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: yes
    • Jeffrey N. Spiegelman: yes
    • Jesse R. Vanderwende: yes
    • Madinah Wilson-Anton: yes
    • Lyndon D. Yearick: yes

  • 2/3

    2025-06-26 · 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=141729

Attribution

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

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