DE SB 37
in committeeAN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FREE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR RELATIVES OF CERTAIN CHILDREN IN ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS.
Delaware · 2025-2026 Regular Session (153rd General Assembly) · upper
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Quick answers
Did DE SB 37 pass?
Not yet. DE SB 37 is in committee and has not come to a final vote. Latest recorded action (2025-04-08): Stricken in Senate
What is DE SB 37 about?
This Act creates a right to free legal counsel for a relative seeking to adopt a child in the relative’s family after parental rights over the child have been terminated and the child is in the custody of the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families. Relatives of a child for whom adoption is being sought who are eligible for free legal counsel in adoption proceedings include siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, first cousins, first cousins once removed, great-grandparents, grandaunts or granduncles, half-siblings, stepparents, stepsiblings, stepaunts or stepuncles, or stepgrandparents. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
Who sponsors DE SB 37?
Michael F. Smith, Bryan W. Shupe, Ray Seigfried and 9 others are the primary sponsors of DE SB 37, joined by 11 cosponsors.
Description
This Act creates a right to free legal counsel for a relative seeking to adopt a child in the relative’s family after parental rights over the child have been terminated and the child is in the custody of the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families. Relatives of a child for whom adoption is being sought who are eligible for free legal counsel in adoption proceedings include siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, first cousins, first cousins once removed, great-grandparents, grandaunts or granduncles, half-siblings, stepparents, stepsiblings, stepaunts or stepuncles, or stepgrandparents. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
- Introduced
- 2025-01-10
- Latest action
- 2025-04-08 — Stricken in Senate
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Michael F. Smithprimary
- Bryan W. Shupeprimary
- Ray Seigfriedprimary
- Ronald E. Grayprimary
- Bryant L. Richardsonprimary
- Spiros Mantzavinosprimary
- Dave G. Lawsonprimary
- Claire Snyder-Hallprimary
- Stell Parker Selbyprimary
- Franklin D. Cookeprimary
- Valerie Jones Giltnerprimary
- David L. Wilsonprimary
- Eric Bucksoncosponsor
- Gerald W. Hockercosponsor
- Kyra L. Hoffnercosponsor
- Dave G. Lawsoncosponsor
- Spiros Mantzavinoscosponsor
- Bryant L. Richardsoncosponsor
- Ronald E. Graycosponsor
- Kendra Johnsoncosponsor
- Stell Parker Selbycosponsor
- Bryan W. Shupecosponsor
- Michael F. Smithcosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2025-04-08
Stricken in Senate
2025-01-10
Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
introduction,referral-committee
Versions
- Bill TextCompare
Documents
Votes
Not provided by source.
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-10-26T11:58:03.044097Z
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