Bill Commons

DE SB 143

enacted

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 12 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FIDUCIARY ACCESS TO DIGITAL ASSETS AND DIGITAL ACCOUNTS.

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

Quick answers

Did DE SB 143 pass?

Yes. DE SB 143 has been enacted into law as of 2025-09-19. Latest recorded action (2025-09-19): Signed by Governor

What is DE SB 143 about?

Ohio recently adopted “Braden’s Law”, named after Braden Markus. Braden, a high school student, tragically took his own life after being coerced into sharing sensitive photographs online and then threatened with release of the photographs on social media if he did not pay money. Braden’s parents, Jenn and Jarod, endured months of anguish after being denied access to Braden’s personal cell phone records. In response, part of Braden’s Law requires courts to adjudicate a parent or legal guardian’s request for an order directing access to a deceased minor’s digital assets and digital accounts within 30 days. In Delaware, a fiduciary can access to digital assets and digital accounts under Chapter 50 of Title 12. A fiduciary must send to the custodian of digital assets or digital accounts a valid written request for access. The custodian must comply with the valid written request within 60 days. If the custodian fails to comply, the fiduciary can ask the Court of Chancery (the “Court”) for an order directing the custodian to grant access to the digital assets. If the fiduciary seeking access to a digital asset or digital account is a parent or legal guardian of a minor deceased account holder, this Act requires the Court to treat the application as expedited and aim to resolve the application within 30 days after the application is filed. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Who sponsors DE SB 143?

Daniel B. Short, Edward S. Osienski, David L. Wilson and 10 others are the primary sponsors of DE SB 143.

Description

Ohio recently adopted “Braden’s Law”, named after Braden Markus. Braden, a high school student, tragically took his own life after being coerced into sharing sensitive photographs online and then threatened with release of the photographs on social media if he did not pay money. Braden’s parents, Jenn and Jarod, endured months of anguish after being denied access to Braden’s personal cell phone records. In response, part of Braden’s Law requires courts to adjudicate a parent or legal guardian’s request for an order directing access to a deceased minor’s digital assets and digital accounts within 30 days. In Delaware, a fiduciary can access to digital assets and digital accounts under Chapter 50 of Title 12. A fiduciary must send to the custodian of digital assets or digital accounts a valid written request for access. The custodian must comply with the valid written request within 60 days. If the custodian fails to comply, the fiduciary can ask the Court of Chancery (the “Court”) for an order directing the custodian to grant access to the digital assets. If the fiduciary seeking access to a digital asset or digital account is a parent or legal guardian of a minor deceased account holder, this Act requires the Court to treat the application as expedited and aim to resolve the application within 30 days after the application is filed. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

Introduced
2025-05-13
Latest action
2025-09-19 — Signed by Governor
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Daniel B. Shortprimary
  • Edward S. Osienskiprimary
  • David L. Wilsonprimary
  • Bryant L. Richardsonprimary
  • Nicole Pooreprimary
  • Marie Pinkneyprimary
  • Spiros Mantzavinosprimary
  • Dave G. Lawsonprimary
  • Claire Snyder-Hallprimary
  • Stell Parker Selbyprimary
  • Melanie Ross Levinprimary
  • Franklin D. Cookeprimary
  • Brian Pettyjohnprimary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2025-05-13

    Introduced and Assigned to Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology Committee in Senate

    introduction,referral-committee

  2. 2025-05-21

    Reported Out of Committee (Banking, Business, Insurance & Technology) in Senate with 6 Favorable

    committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable

  3. 2025-06-12

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 ABSENT

    passage

  4. 2025-06-12

    Assigned to Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce Committee in House

    introduction,referral-committee

  5. 2025-06-17

    Reported Out of Committee (Economic Development/Banking/Insurance & Commerce) in House with 8 On Its Merits

    committee-passage

  6. 2025-06-30

    Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 VACANT

    passage

  7. 2025-09-19

    Signed by Governor

    executive-signature

Versions

Not provided by source.

Documents

Not provided by source.

Votes

  • SM

    2025-06-12 · pass · 19-0

    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: other
    • 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: other
    • David L. Wilson: yes

  • SM

    2025-06-30 · pass · 40-0

    Member-level votes (40)
    • 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
    • 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

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142277

Attribution

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

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changesStatus and relationship changes

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