B|Estates: Eliminating the Death Penalty in DE. Expanding Election Police in FL. Hemp Farming in GA.

Select highlights on state legislation you should pay attention to ... because it might end up in the state where you live, too.

Current State Legislative Session Calendar ….

Current Partisan Composition …

Delaware 

Democratic Senate | Democratic House | Democratic Governor 

HB70 (NA) - This Act eliminates the death penalty in Delaware. As such, the penalty for a person who is convicted of first-degree murder for an offense that was committed after the persons 18th birthday is imprisonment for the remainder of the persons natural life without benefit of probation or parole or any other reduction. 

SB26 (D) - This Act is the second leg of a constitutional amendment that would update the minimum voting age in the Delaware Constitution from twenty-one years to eighteen years. 

HB1(NA) - This Act removes all penalties for use or possession of a personal use quantity of marijuana and marijuana accessories. It further specifies that the adult sharing of a personal use quantity or less of marijuana is legal activity for those 21 years of age or older and that those 21 or older may possess, use, display, purchase, or transport accessories and personal use quantities of marijuana without penalty. When transporting in a vehicle, those items must be in a closed container or otherwise not readily accessible to anyone inside the vehicle. The statute also specifies certain activities which remain unlawful. Finally, the definition of "personal use quantity" of marijuana is updated to include not only 1 ounce or less of leaf marijuana, but also equivalent amounts of marijuana product in other forms. 

HB55 (D) - This Act is the Bill of Rights for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness to ensure that all individuals, regardless of housing status, have equal opportunity to live in decent, safe, sanitary, and healthful accommodations and enjoy equality of opportunities. To that end, this Act sets forth the rights of individuals experiencing homelessness and creates a process by which the State Human and Civil Rights Commission and the Division of Human Relations may accept and investigate complaints of discriminatory treatment, attempt conciliation, and refer enforcement actions to the Department of Justice where necessary. 

Florida 

Republican Senate | Republican House | Republican Governor 

S0006 (R) - Creating the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program within the Division of Emergency Management to facilitate the transport of inspected unauthorized aliens within the United States; authorizing the division to contract for services to implement the program; authorizing the division to adopt rules to implement the program; providing for future expiration, etc. 

H0003 (R) - Authorizes Office of Statewide Prosecution to investigate & prosecute election-related specified crimes. 

S0004 (R) - Specifying that certain crimes facilitated by or connected to the use of the Internet occur in every judicial circuit within the state; authorizing the Office of Statewide Prosecution to investigate and prosecute crimes involving voting in an election for a federal or state office, voting in an election on a referendum, an initiative, or an issue, the petition activities for a federal or state office, the petition activities for a referendum, an initiative, or an issue, or voter registration, etc. 

Georgia 

Republican Senate | Republican House | Republican Governor 

SB44 (R) - A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 16 of the O.C.G.A., relating to crimes and offenses, so as to provide for mandatory minimum penalties for violations of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act... 

SB39 (D\R) - A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 23 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the "Georgia Hemp Farming Act," so as to allow persons convicted of any misdemeanor or certain felonies to grow industrial hemp; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 

HB251 (D) - A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 46-1-6 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to governmental entities prohibited from restricting utility service connection or sale of fuels based on type and ability to choose utility service, so as to require the Public Service Commission to adopt regulations to gradually reduce, from 2025 to 2050, the carbon dioxide emissions from electric utilities; to require all electricity provided by an electric utility in this state to be generated from clean energy sources by 2050; to provide for a short title; to provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.