DE SB 259
enactedAN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 9 AND TITLE 22 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS.
Delaware · 2025-2026 Regular Session (153rd General Assembly) · upper
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Quick answers
Did DE SB 259 pass?
Yes. DE SB 259 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-06-24): Signed by Governor
What is DE SB 259 about?
This Act proposes modifications to the in-building regulations regarding bi-directional amplifiers (BDAs). Currently, buildings that are modified or renovated to exceed 25,000 square feet are not required to meet the GAT (Grid Acceptance Test) at 95% compliance for 800 MHz public safety in-building communications coverage, as is required for new buildings. In some cases, contractors are tearing down all but one exterior wall and rebuilding which has drawn concern from Division of Communications. The BDA helps to maintain quality in-building communications and to prevent “dead zone” areas so emergency public safety personnel can communicate during a response to an emergency situation. This Act also removes language pertaining to an advisor committee that is no longer needed. The Act also removes the requirement that the Department of Safety and Homeland Security publish a map of buildings with these communication technologies due to safety concerns.
Who sponsors DE SB 259?
David L. Wilson, John "Jack" Walsh, Franklin D. Cooke and 1 others are the primary sponsors of DE SB 259, joined by 2 cosponsors.
Description
This Act proposes modifications to the in-building regulations regarding bi-directional amplifiers (BDAs). Currently, buildings that are modified or renovated to exceed 25,000 square feet are not required to meet the GAT (Grid Acceptance Test) at 95% compliance for 800 MHz public safety in-building communications coverage, as is required for new buildings. In some cases, contractors are tearing down all but one exterior wall and rebuilding which has drawn concern from Division of Communications. The BDA helps to maintain quality in-building communications and to prevent “dead zone” areas so emergency public safety personnel can communicate during a response to an emergency situation. This Act also removes language pertaining to an advisor committee that is no longer needed. The Act also removes the requirement that the Department of Safety and Homeland Security publish a map of buildings with these communication technologies due to safety concerns.
- Introduced
- 2026-03-17
- Latest action
- 2026-06-24 — Signed by Governor
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- David L. Wilsonprimary
- John "Jack" Walshprimary
- Franklin D. Cookeprimary
- Nicole Pooreprimary
- John "Jack" Walshcosponsor
- David L. Wilsoncosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-06-24
Signed by Governor
executive-signature
2026-06-16
Passed By House. Votes: 37 YES 1 NO 3 ABSENT
passage
2026-05-19
Reported Out of Committee (Public Safety & Homeland Security) in House with 6 On Its Merits
committee-passage
2026-05-06
Assigned to Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee in House
introduction,referral-committee
2026-05-05
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
passage
2026-05-05
Amendment SA 1 to SB 259 - Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
amendment-passage
2026-04-30
Amendment SA 1 to SB 259 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
amendment-introduction
2026-04-22
Reported Out of Committee (Corrections & Public Safety) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-03-17
Introduced and Assigned to Corrections & Public Safety Committee in Senate
introduction,referral-committee
Versions
Documents
Votes
SM
2026-05-05 · 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
3/5
2026-06-16 · pass · 37-1
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: no
- 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: other
- Edward S. Osienski: yes
- Sophie Phillips: yes
- Charles S Postles Jr.: other
- 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
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-09-19T07:15:32.111773Z
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