DE HB 85
enactedAN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 AND TITLE 31 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
Delaware · 2025-2026 Regular Session (153rd General Assembly) · lower
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Quick answers
Did DE HB 85 pass?
Yes. DE HB 85 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2025-09-02): Signed by Governor
What is DE HB 85 about?
Under current law, both school board members who are elected and those who are appointed to fill vacancies until the next election are required to complete a background check. However, the statute is currently unclear as to how a background check gets done and who is responsible for reviewing the background check for an appointment. This Act makes clear that a person may not be appointed unless a background check has been completed and the Commissioner of Elections has determined the person is qualified for the seat, in the same manner the Commissioner completes that duty for candidates for school board elections.
Who sponsors DE HB 85?
Nicole Poore, John "Jack" Walsh, Spiros Mantzavinos and 16 others are the primary sponsors of DE HB 85, joined by 17 cosponsors.
Description
Under current law, both school board members who are elected and those who are appointed to fill vacancies until the next election are required to complete a background check. However, the statute is currently unclear as to how a background check gets done and who is responsible for reviewing the background check for an appointment. This Act makes clear that a person may not be appointed unless a background check has been completed and the Commissioner of Elections has determined the person is qualified for the seat, in the same manner the Commissioner completes that duty for candidates for school board elections.
- Introduced
- 2025-03-18
- Latest action
- 2025-09-02 — Signed by Governor
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Nicole Pooreprimary
- John "Jack" Walshprimary
- Spiros Mantzavinosprimary
- David P. Sokolaprimary
- Lyndon D. Yearickprimary
- Claire Snyder-Hallprimary
- Michael F. Smithprimary
- Dave G. Lawsonprimary
- Daniel B. Shortprimary
- Melanie Ross Levinprimary
- Stell Parker Selbyprimary
- Edward S. Osienskiprimary
- Mara Gormanprimary
- Bryant L. Richardsonprimary
- Laura V. Sturgeonprimary
- Madinah Wilson-Antonprimary
- Cyndie Romerprimary
- Eric Morrisonprimary
- Kimberly Williamsprimary
- Frank Burnscosponsor
- Mara Gormancosponsor
- Jeff Hilovskycosponsor
- Edward S. Osienskicosponsor
- Stell Parker Selbycosponsor
- Melanie Ross Levincosponsor
- Daniel B. Shortcosponsor
- Kamela T Smithcosponsor
- Michael F. Smithcosponsor
- Claire Snyder-Hallcosponsor
- Lyndon D. Yearickcosponsor
- Sherae'a Moorecosponsor
- Larry Lambertcosponsor
- Stephanie L. Hansencosponsor
- David P. Sokolacosponsor
- John "Jack" Walshcosponsor
- Nicole Poorecosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2025-09-02
Signed by Governor
executive-signature
2025-06-24
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
passage
2025-05-07
Reported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 6 On Its Merits
committee-passage
2025-04-17
Assigned to Education Committee in Senate
introduction,referral-committee
2025-04-17
Passed By House. Votes: 37 YES 4 ABSENT
passage
2025-03-26
Reported Out of Committee (Education) in House with 2 Favorable, 12 On Its Merits
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-03-18
Introduced and Assigned to Education Committee in House
introduction,referral-committee
Versions
- Bill TextCompare
Documents
Votes
SM
2025-04-17 · pass · 37-0
Member-level votes (41)
- Stephanie T. Bolden: other
- Frank Burns: yes
- William Bush: yes
- William J. Carson: yes
- Nnamdi O. Chukwuocha: other
- 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: other
- 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: yes
- Jeffrey N. Spiegelman: yes
- Jesse R. Vanderwende: yes
- Madinah Wilson-Anton: yes
- Lyndon D. Yearick: yes
SM
2025-06-24 · 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
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-10-24T17:44:14.323084Z
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