Bill Commons

DE HB 346

enacted

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL.

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

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Quick answers

Did DE HB 346 pass?

Yes. DE HB 346 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-07-23): Signed by Governor

What is DE HB 346 about?

This Act updates Delaware laws relating to Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) prevention and control, much of which are outdated and do not reflect current research and medical practice. To that end, this Act does the following: (1) Clarifies that Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are to be treated in the same manner as STDs. (2) Removes the requirement that reportable STDs be reported to DPH within 1 working day. (3) Repeals the provision permitting the Director of DPH to examine a person suspected of being infected with an STD and to order that person to isolate or quarantine. (4) Repeals the provision relating to apprehending, committing, mandating treatment, and quarantine of an infected person. (5) Repeals the provision permitting the Director to bring an action in the Justice of the Peace Court when a person suspected of having an STD presents an imminent danger to public health. (6) Removes the provisions concerning the DOC and DPH isolating or quarantining persons with suspected or known STDs. (7) Provides that health care providers must provide STD and STI testing, but that a pregnant person may refuse testing. Documentation of refusal must be retained in the patient’s medical record along with documentation of test counseling. (8) Repeals the provision permitting a DPH investigator without a medical license to withdraw blood for test purposes. (9) Makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Who sponsors DE HB 346?

Sarah McBride, Laura V. Sturgeon, Ray Seigfried and 4 others are the primary sponsors of DE HB 346, joined by 6 cosponsors.

Description

This Act updates Delaware laws relating to Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) prevention and control, much of which are outdated and do not reflect current research and medical practice. To that end, this Act does the following: (1) Clarifies that Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) are to be treated in the same manner as STDs. (2) Removes the requirement that reportable STDs be reported to DPH within 1 working day. (3) Repeals the provision permitting the Director of DPH to examine a person suspected of being infected with an STD and to order that person to isolate or quarantine. (4) Repeals the provision relating to apprehending, committing, mandating treatment, and quarantine of an infected person. (5) Repeals the provision permitting the Director to bring an action in the Justice of the Peace Court when a person suspected of having an STD presents an imminent danger to public health. (6) Removes the provisions concerning the DOC and DPH isolating or quarantining persons with suspected or known STDs. (7) Provides that health care providers must provide STD and STI testing, but that a pregnant person may refuse testing. Documentation of refusal must be retained in the patient’s medical record along with documentation of test counseling. (8) Repeals the provision permitting a DPH investigator without a medical license to withdraw blood for test purposes. (9) Makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Introduced
2026-04-09
Latest action
2026-07-23 — Signed by Governor
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Sarah McBrideprimary
  • Laura V. Sturgeonprimary
  • Ray Seigfriedprimary
  • Mara Gormanprimary
  • Bryant L. Richardsonprimary
  • Marie Pinkneyprimary
  • Eric Morrisonprimary
  • DeShanna U Nealcosponsor
  • Frank Burnscosponsor
  • Mara Gormancosponsor
  • Kendra Johnsoncosponsor
  • Laura V. Sturgeoncosponsor
  • Daniel Crucecosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-07-23

    Signed by Governor

    executive-signature

  2. 2026-06-23

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES

    passage

  3. 2026-05-20

    Reported Out of Committee (Health & Social Services) in Senate with 7 Favorable

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  4. 2026-05-05

    Assigned to Health & Social Services Committee in Senate

    introduction,referral-committee

  5. 2026-05-05

    Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 3 ABSENT

    passage

  6. 2026-04-22

    Reported Out of Committee (Health & Human Development) in House with 2 Favorable, 7 On Its Merits

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  7. 2026-04-09

    Introduced and Assigned to Health & Human Development Committee in House

    introduction,referral-committee

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • SM

    2026-05-05 · pass · 38-0

    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: other
    • 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: other
    • Melissa Minor-Brown: yes
    • Shannon Morris: yes
    • Eric Morrison: yes
    • DeShanna U Neal: yes
    • Josue O Ortega: yes
    • Edward S. Osienski: yes
    • Sophie Phillips: yes
    • 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

  • 2/3

    2026-06-23 · 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=143051

Attribution

Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-10-23T20:07:17.521881Z

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