Sen. Stephanie Hansen

In a 20-1 vote following several hours of debate last night, I’m pleased to report that my Senate Bill 326 has passed the Senate.

For the past 18 months, I have been laser-focused on bringing down energy costs for ratepayers across the First State. When our energy bills spiked last winter, my colleagues and I worked quickly to draft and pass a package of bills designed to bring relief to ratepayers and put meaningful guardrails on how our public utilities like Delmarva Power bill their customers. SB 326 continues on that work, but specifically addresses key drivers of cost and transparency.

I especially want to thank our Public Advocate, Jameson Tweedie, as well as Matt Hartigan from the Public Service Commission for their work on this legislation.

“Unlike businesses in a competitive market, monopoly utilities face little pressure to control costs because customers cannot take their business elsewhere,” said Jameson in our press release. “At the same time, utility profits increase when infrastructure spending increases. For example, Delmarva Power is seeking to collect an additional $68 million annually from customers, based substantially on rapidly increasing infrastructure spending, while sending more than $200 million in dividends to its parent company, Exelon, in the last year alone. That’s why strong oversight — and a strengthened legal framework — is essential to ensure spending decisions are driven by customer needs, not opportunities to generate higher returns.”

We had a historic day in the Senate as we passed my legislation, Senate Bill 9, which would create Delaware’s first comprehensive tidal and nontidal wetlands preservation program. This legislation is the result of years of collaboration with all stakeholders at the table, who realized the importance of protecting this ecosystem, which serves a crucial role in supplying us with clean drinking water, clean surface water, flood mitigation, threatened and endangered species protection, outdoor recreation, and more. SB 9 is a responsible measure that will ensure the long-term health of our wetlands for generations to come.

Community Solar Projects are crucial to expand renewable energy for all Delaware consumers, and it is our responsibility to ensure the billing structure is as efficient as possible in our State. The Senate passed my SB 321 on Tuesday, allowing our State to utilize a consolidated billing structure that can prevent unintended burdens. This legislation will promote transparency, reduce billing confusion, and ensure financial stability for participating Delaware consumers.

Generally, a utility has a legal obligation to serve a customer when a requests for service is made in its territory. The potential impacts of large electrical users, such as data centers, on customer-owned electricity distribution co-operatives, such as the Delaware Electric Cooperative, could be catastrophic.

The Delaware Electric Cooperative asked for the ability to say no to large energy use facilities, if they request service in their territory. SB 276 grants that request allowing the cooperative to protect their customers interest.

Wonderful day for the Townsend Fair! Thank you to the Town of Townsend, Delaware for hosting such a great community event!

Last night, I was happy to attend the Appoquinimink High School FFA Chapter Awards Banquet celebrating student achievements in leadership, competitions, and the FFA program. Congratulations to these energetic and motivated students! Teachers Kendall Metz and Brandy Timpson, along with the FFA Student Officers did a fantastic job organizing this impressive 200+ person event. Their comprehensive agriculture education program focuses in areas such as Applied Agriscience, Principles of Plant Growth, Plant Systems Management & Sustainability, Natural Resources & Ecology Management, Environmental and Natural Resource Stewardship, Animal Care & Management, and Domestic Animal Management. Way to go, Appo FFA!

On Memorial Day, we remember and honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our safety. State offices are closed today in observance. Image of the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

What Grace Peterson went through in 2023 is something that nobody should have to go through, but Mrs. Peterson is resilient and turned her horrific experience into change. In 2023, she was brutally assaulted, kidnapped, and left for dead by a man who was evicted from his Seaford halfway house without any real plan for his reentry into society.

Her story is why I took the lead on Senate Bill 292, which requires landlords to develop a discharge plan and provide a warm hand-off when an individual is evicted from reentry housing. This bill will help ensure that no Delawarean has to endure what Mrs. Peterson did, and puts in place proper procedures that help individuals in their reentry journey. I am proud the Senate passed this important bill on Tuesday, and look forward to it clearing the House and becoming law in the coming months.

To my mother and all the moms out there, Happy Mother’s Day. I come from a line of independent women, and am glad to be part of a legislative body that supports women and families through the laws that we pass.

From voting to create Delaware’s paid leave program, to supporting perinatal care for mothers and newborns, to expanding the State’s Donated Leave program, I’m proud of the work we’ve done and will continue to do for Delaware families.

Happy Mother’s Day, Delaware!

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone who offers support, encouragement, care, kindness, love, and guidance to the people in their lives! Whether you're a mom, a motherly figure, a hopeful or soon-to-be mother, we celebrate you today. ❤️