DE HB 278
enactedAN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO REGULATIONS AND PROHIBITIONS CONCERNING GAME AND FISH.
Delaware · 2025-2026 Regular Session (153rd General Assembly) · lower
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Quick answers
Did DE HB 278 pass?
Yes. DE HB 278 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-06-10): Signed by Governor
What is DE HB 278 about?
This Act makes multiple changes to Title 7 of the Delaware Code. First it increases recreational hunting opportunities and clarifies that Sunday hunting is permitted for all game animals and game birds that the Department has established hunting seasons for, while allowing private landowners and public agencies discretion when and where Sunday hunting is permitted without being overly burdensome. This Act amends and simplifies the caliber of handgun ammunition permitted for deer hunting as well as updates the use of other hunting implements consistent with new and improved technology. This Act removes European and snowshoe hares as game animals and includes skunks and weasels as such.
Who sponsors DE HB 278?
Dave G. Lawson, Claire Snyder-Hall, Franklin D. Cooke and 7 others are the primary sponsors of DE HB 278.
Description
This Act makes multiple changes to Title 7 of the Delaware Code. First it increases recreational hunting opportunities and clarifies that Sunday hunting is permitted for all game animals and game birds that the Department has established hunting seasons for, while allowing private landowners and public agencies discretion when and where Sunday hunting is permitted without being overly burdensome. This Act amends and simplifies the caliber of handgun ammunition permitted for deer hunting as well as updates the use of other hunting implements consistent with new and improved technology. This Act removes European and snowshoe hares as game animals and includes skunks and weasels as such.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-27
- Latest action
- 2026-06-10 — Signed by Governor
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Dave G. Lawsonprimary
- Claire Snyder-Hallprimary
- Franklin D. Cookeprimary
- Kerri Evelyn Harrisprimary
- David L. Wilsonprimary
- Nicole Pooreprimary
- Brian Pettyjohnprimary
- Stell Parker Selbyprimary
- William J. Carsonprimary
- Jeffrey N. Spiegelmanprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-06-10
Signed by Governor
executive-signature
2026-05-07
Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 ABSENT
passage
2026-05-05
Reported Out of Committee (Environment, Energy & Transportation) in Senate with 8 On Its Merits
committee-passage
2026-03-17
Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in Senate
introduction,referral-committee
2026-03-17
Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 1 NO 2 ABSENT
passage
2026-03-17
Amendment HA 2 to HB 278 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
amendment-passage
2026-03-17
Amendment HA 1 to HB 278 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
amendment-passage
2026-03-17
Amendment HA 2 to HB 278 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
amendment-introduction
2026-03-11
Reported Out of Committee (Natural Resources & Energy) in House with 6 Favorable, 5 On Its Merits
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-03-10
Amendment HA 1 to HB 278 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
amendment-introduction
2026-01-27
Introduced and Assigned to Natural Resources & Energy Committee in House
introduction,referral-committee
Versions
Documents
Votes
SM
2026-03-17 · pass · 38-1
Member-level votes (41)
- Alonna Berry: yes
- 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: other
- 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
- Sophie Phillips: no
- Charles S Postles Jr.: yes
- Cyndie Romer: yes
- Melanie Ross Levin: yes
- Sherae'a Moore: other
- Bryan W. Shupe: yes
- Claire Snyder-Hall: yes
- Jeffrey N. Spiegelman: yes
- Jesse R. Vanderwende: yes
- Madinah Wilson-Anton: yes
- Lyndon D. Yearick: yes
SM
2026-05-07 · pass · 19-0
Member-level votes (21)
- Darius J. Brown: yes
- Eric Buckson: yes
- Daniel Cruce: yes
- Stephanie L. Hansen: other
- 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: other
- Bryan Townsend: yes
- John "Jack" Walsh: yes
- David L. Wilson: yes
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T03:53:51.443619Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:
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