Government
**This Is The Delaware Way**

The Delaware Way has governed our state for decades. Now, as more people want to know what’s going on in our our legislative halls, the old Way is eroding. New people and new ideas want to take part in the process of creating and refining laws. What laws are being introduced? By who? And what’s the motivation behind them? What side effects could they have?
This Is The Delaware Way looks at the bills being discussed each week in Delaware’s General Assembly. While the focus is on informing people about just what is happening in Legislative Hall on a weekly basis, the host will also share information or historical context to bills to help show a clearer picture on just how a bill becomes a law in Delaware. Let’s make sure The Delaware Way includes all of us.

Latest Episodes:

Surveillance State & Right to Privacy Jan 16, 2026

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Episode Notes

2026 is off, and the Delaware legislature is also just getting started. This episode covers some general state news and a few New Castle County soundbites, but everything connects back to a proposed constitutional amendment for a basic right to privacy. In a world hellbent on surveilling us, inspecting our lives and our bodies, and making images of us -- all without our consent -- what can our legislature due to slow the tide? (Content warning in the last five minutes for mention of the word "p*rn," just in case you listen while your kids are around.)

Questions?

Email: ask@thisisthedelawareway.com

Billionaires & Data Centers Nov 18, 2025

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Episode Notes

Let’s talk data center ordinances! Well, just the one. There’s a big ordinance vote on Tuesday, November 18 at 6:30pm. New Castle County Council is set to make a decision that will affect everyone in the entire state, as it will directly affect energy prices throughout Delaware. This episode covers a bit about the ordinance, and digs into the opposition to it as well as several proposed amendments that would weaken its protections in the future.

Questions?

Email: ask[at]thisisthedelawareway.com

Power Dynamics & Special Session Recap Aug 14, 2025

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Episode Notes

Hear how some of the discussion went in Tuesday's special session. The bills that were passed were expected, but some amendments did make it in that were pleasant surprises. Most of this episode is spent wishing that our legislators spent more time using their power responsibly and less time demanding obedience.

Links

Spotlight article - State lawmakers ease residential property tax burden in testy special session

Watch the recording of the House session

Watch the recording of the Senate session

Questions?

Email: ask@thisisthedelawareway.com

Special Sessions & Property Taxes Aug 12, 2025

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Episode Notes

What's a special session, and why is it happening today? Which bills will be considered, and which won't, and what is the difference? We'll go over all of that and more for you today. Bonus content: data is beautiful and we can get more of it.

Episode Notes

We cover a few news items, including a bill to protect medical providers in Delaware from being sued based on other states' laws. We dig a little deeper behind the company that wants to build a data center in New Castle County, as it would impact our electric bills but we wouldn't get any of benefit from the billions of dollars it may generate for its owners. We also look at the process of running for office and being a first-time legislator, and give some tips on how to look into running for office.

Data Center Town Hall

Thursday, July 24th, 5:30pm Delaware City Fire Hall

Form to submit questions to Data Center Town Hall

Episode Notes

Where are they now, legislative edition. What happened to the bills we've talked about this year? How are we feeling? There's some extra philosophizing in this episode, because that's the mood of the moment. But also some yelling. And the word "flabbergasted" is used.

Links

2025 Session Legislative Report - DE WFP

End of Session Live Blog - Spotlight Delaware

Philosophizing & Politician Speak Jun 24, 2025

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Episode Notes

We get through most of the notable bills being heard on the House and Senate floor on Tuesday June 24th in 15 minutes. Then we get into it with a recap of the lead paint remediation bill's committee hearing, in preparation for it being heard on the House floor on Tuesday as well. After some light philosophizing, we lightly laugh at a Senator's spin of one of his bills.

To submit corrections or questions, email: ask@thisisthedelawareway.com

Note: the sound quality is a bit off, I apologize. This will tighten up! Session is almost over, and then episodes will be more planned out for a while. The rest of the summer into the fall will be a series of deep dives on different processes, legislators, and of course bills we've seen fall short of passing.

Lead Abatement & Dragonflies Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

Episode Notes

This episode comes with a content warning, as it discusses a bill on educating minors about sexual extortion. The timestamp for that section is 8:24.

Enjoy the rapid-fire delivery of most of the bills our state legislature will discuss on Wednesday, June 11th. As we near the end of session, the schedule will become more and more crowded, and there are some big deal bills being heard!

Links

Speed cameras are not a permanent solution to dangerous streets

Well planned street design

Consent Agendas & Repeat Players Jun 10, 2025

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Episode Notes

We kick off a hectic week by looking at just Tuesday's agendas. You've heard of most of these bills before, but there are a few hot ticket items that might have you wanting to reach out to your legislators. Surprise surprise, we see one of the two school meals bills yet again, and wonder about the timing of how the saga went down. We also look at what's happening with the slate of immigration protection bills.

Tax Brackets and Shattered Impressions Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

Episode Notes

Disappointment abounds in this week's episode, from opening to close. But we start off giving people more info on how a bill gets written, and what qualifications someone needs to run for office (hint: not many). In the middle, we go over the long list of bills the General Assembly worked on the week of May 20th. The GA is now on a break while the Joint Finance Committee finalizes budget decisions, and will be back in session next week. We round out the episode with a personal story from the host that leaves her with more questions than answers about her House Representative.

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro and outline

(4:14) Who actually writes the bills?

(14:14) House Speaker speaks on delay of tax bracket bill

(24:28) House bills

(24:55) Affordable housing through Site Readiness Fund

(26:55) Slate of immigration bills

(29:59) Increasing vehicle fees

(31:43) multi-level marketing schemes

(32:10) Creates new crime charge for discharging a firearm in public

(35:00) Elimination of citizens’ arrests

(36:02) Threshold for automatic election recounts

(36:19) Protecting seniors from property reassessments

(38:23) Constitutional amendments for voting

(39:43) Senate bills

(40:06) right to marry

(41:29) rape kits monitoring

(41:42) Dental usage of general anesthesia & Medicaid dental coverage

(43:11) Bills related to evictions of renters

(44:18) Reducing property taxes for Low Income households

(49:31) Interaction with my House representative

(1:02:20) Closing

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Data Center Town Hall

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