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House Natural Resources & Energy Committee Meeting

Wednesday, March 11, 2026·36m·▶ Watch / Listen

The House Natural Resources & Energy Committee advanced two bills without opposition: HB 278, which modernizes Delaware hunting regulations including Sunday hunting for all game and updated handgun caliber requirements for deer hunting, and HB 308, which codifies livestreaming and virtual public comment requirements for the Public Service Commission.

Key Actions

·HB 278 – Hunting Regulations ModernizationPassed

+ 1 more action

Controversies

Caliber measurement amendment and the .38 caliber exception in HB 278

Rep. Burns raised that since the amendment reduces the caliber measurement threshold from 1.30 inches back to 1.25 inches, the existing exception for .38 caliber at 1.29 inches seemed potentially redundant or confusing, stating 'it seems confusing.' Rep. Spiegelman acknowledged the issue was a drafting error on his part and explained that leaving the threshold at 1.30 inches would have excluded .41 Magnum and .44 Magnum, which he described as absolutely ethical cartridges for taking deer.

+ 1 more controversy

Notable Quotes

“Present. Rep. Claire Snyder Hall. Absent. Rep. Jesse Vanderwin. Present. With the quorum being present, we will begin. Thank you. Okay, thanks. We're going to start today with Representative Spiegelman's bill. Yeah, I'm doing. And that's House Bill 278, An act to Amend Title 7 of the Delaware Code relating to regulations and per prohibitions concerning game and fish. And Rep. Spiegelman, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of committee, this is a bill that I've been working on with denreck and the Division of Fish and Wildlife. Actually been working on it for a couple years. It updates and modernizes a lot of some of just the normal hunting”

Rep. Spiegelman — Rep. Spiegelman was explaining to the committee the technical drafting error behind an amendment to HB 278 that changes the permitted handgun caliber measurement threshold from 1.30 inches back to 1.25 inches for deer hunting.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Motion to release HB 278 — made by Rep. Carson, seconded by Rep. VanderwindPassed
Yes (11)Rep. Alana Berry, Rep. Frank Burns, Rep. Bill Carson, Rep. Rich Collins, Rep. Ron Gray, Chair Deborah Heffernan, Rep. Jeff Hilovsky, Rep. Larry Lambert, Rep. Charles Postils Jr., Rep. Claire Snyder Hall, Rep. Jesse Vanderwind
No (1)Vice Chair Sophie Phillips
Absent (2)Rep. Bill Bush, Rep. Krista Griffith
Motion to release HB 308 — made by Rep. Burns, seconded by Rep. Sophie PhillipsPassed
Yes (12)Rep. Alana Berry, Rep. Frank Burns, Rep. Bill Carson, Rep. Rich Collins, Rep. Ron Gray, Chair Deborah Heffernan, Rep. Jeff Hilovsky, Rep. Larry Lambert, Vice Chair Sophie Phillips, Rep. Charles Postils Jr., Rep. Claire Snyder Hall, Rep. Jesse Vanderweight
Absent (2)Rep. Bill Bush, Rep. Krista Barefoot
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TranscriptPreview
It. Members of the public physically present for the meeting may sign up on the speaker list for the bill they would like to speak on, which is great. Held up by the lovely Lauren. Please note that any votes that may be taken shall be done by a roll call vote. We will be offering the bill for signatures to committee members not present. If it receives enough signatures for release from committee, it will be reported out on the legislative website and announced on the House floor during session. So let's begin today's meeting by taking a roll call. Attendance of committee meeting members present. Rep. Al. Donna Berry. Present. Rep. Frank Burns. Present. Rep. Bill Bush will be absent today. Rep. Bill Carson. Present. Rep. Rich Collins. Rep. Ron Gray. Present. Rep. Krista Griffith is going to be absent. Chair Deb Heffernan. I'm present. Rep. Jeff Hilofsky. Rep. Larry Lambert. Vice Chair Sophie Phillips. Present. Rep. Charles Postils Jr. Present. Rep. Claire Snyder Hall. Absent. Rep. Jesse Vanderwin. Present. With the quorum being present, we will begin. Thank you. Okay, thanks. We're going to start today with Representative Spiegelman's bill. Yeah, I'm doing. And that's House Bill…
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