Terry Spence for Delaware State Representative
ADAM WALSH ACT - A bill designed to keep better tabs on sex offenders is now law. I
was the prime House sponsor of Senate Bill 60. The legislation will implement the provisions of
the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, a federal law which seeks to align sex
offender registry standards throughout the U.S. These standards presently vary from state to state.
ELIMINATING MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCING PROPOSED - I was the
lead sponsor of legislation that would eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing on a number of
drug-related offenses. House Bill 71, which passed the House, seeks to repeal mandatory minimum
sentences for many of the state’s current drug laws. Instead, state judges would be able to use their
own discretion to impose punishment. I believe the current mandatory minimums produce a
one-size-fits-all system of justice that is often unfair, elevates Delaware’s prison population and
increases costs on taxpayers. Allowing judges to individually decide criminal sentences is
expected to result in a more balanced system where punishment is better matched to the crimes
committed. (Status: The bill remains pending in the Senate.)
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING - Legislation that I co-sponsored will become law that will
provide most state employees with a seat at the table when bargaining for wages. Under Senate Bill
36, the state employees will now be able to bargain collectively for pay. The bill also provides for
a process of binding arbitration when the bargaining parties cannot reach a consensus. All
agreements for compensation with the state, however, are subject to appropriation by the General
Assembly. Delaware State Police and public school teachers are already unionized and this
measure extends similar rights to other workers paid by the state.
SCHOOL BULLYING ACT - Legislation, known as the “School Bullying Prevention Act,”
has been signed into law. House Bill 7, which I sponsored, requires each public school district and
charter school to establish a policy on bullying prevention, including developing a bullying
prevention program and reporting instances of bullying to the Delaware Department of Education.
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on November 2nd!
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