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Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee Meeting

Thursday, March 26, 2026·2h 6m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee completed a focused review of the Division of Human and Civil Rights, finding that DEAL investigations averaged 341 days to close against a 120-day statutory target and FHA complaints averaged 135 days against a 100-day benchmark. The committee adopted five of seven staff recommendations — including a contested weekly tracking requirement for aged cases — while holding over recommendations on statutory clarification and a division report-back.

Key Actions

·Division of Human and Civil Rights – Focused Review of Complaint HandlingPassed

+ 14 more actions

Controversies

Weekly vs. monthly tracking of aged cases in Recommendation 1

Senator Hoffner argued against weekly tracking of aged cases, stating 'I'm not okay with weekly. That is going to be repetitive work. Their cases don't change weekly.' Senator Pettyjohn countered that weekly tracking is internal team tracking using Salesforce — not a reporting requirement — limited to cases over 120 days, and proposed a one-year trial period. The motion passed with weekly tracking adopted.

+ 2 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“Assessment Reports of the Division and the Commission. So a little bit of background so the Commission was founded in 1961 as the State Human Relations Commission to promote amicable relationships across racial and cultural groups. It gained enforcement powers through the Equal accommodation law of 1963 and the equal rights to housing law. In 1969, it was renamed the Human and Civil Rights Commission to emphasize its role in enforcing legal protections and distinguish it from other state agencies. The Commission is comprised of 18 members, all appointed by the governor. There's a statutory requirement for five members per county with”

Amanda Wade McAtee, analyst, Joint Legislative Oversight Sunset Committee — Presenting the finding that DEAL investigations averaged 341 days to close against a 120-day statutory target, attributing delays in part to the division's staffing structure.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Adopt Recommendation 1 as amended (weekly tracking of aged cases over 120 days)Passed
Yes (8)Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, Representative Ortega, Representative Ross Levin, Representative Collins, Representative Jones Giltner, Senator Pettyjohn, Senator Richardson
No (1)Senator Huxtable
Absent (1)Senator Poore
Adopt Recommendation 2 as presented (compensation and classification review)Passed
Yes (9)Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, Representative Ortega, Representative Ross Levin, Representative Collins, Representative Jones Giltner, Senator Huxtable, Senator Pettyjohn, Senator Richardson
Absent (1)Senator Poore
Adopt Recommendation 3 with additions (annual reporting including customer service benchmarks, staffing and salaries, special administrative fund, legislative conflicts as encountered)Passed
Yes (9)Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, Representative Ortega, Representative Ross Levin, Representative Collins, Representative Jones Giltner, Senator Huxtable, Senator Pettyjohn, Senator Richardson
Absent (1)Senator Poore
Adopt Recommendation 4 as presented (regulatory reference updates)Passed
Yes (9)Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, Representative Ortega, Representative Ross Levin, Representative Collins, Representative Jones Giltner, Senator Huxtable, Senator Pettyjohn, Senator Richardson
Absent (1)Senator Poore
Adopt Recommendation 5 as presented (DOJ discussions on roles and timelines)Passed
Yes (9)Madam Chair, Madam Vice Chair, Representative Ortega, Representative Ross Levin, Representative Collins, Representative Jones Giltner, Senator Huxtable, Senator Pettyjohn, Senator Richardson
Absent (1)Senator Poore
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TranscriptPreview
To the Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee meeting. I am Representative Romer, the chair of the Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee. This year. The meeting is being held in person and is broadcast on the General Assembly's JFC Hearing Room page. If you have any questions or comments about this meeting, please direct them to sunsetdelawar.gov or call the Division of Legislative Services at 302-744-4114. For those attending the meeting in person and who would like to make public comment, we ask you to please clearly print your name on the sign in sheet. We will begin by asking Amanda to take roll call. Madam Chair. Present. Present. Madam Vice Chair. Present. Present. Representative Ortega. Present. Present. Representative Ros. Levin. Present. Present. Representative Collins. Present. Present. Representative Jones. Giltner. Present. Present. Senator Huxtable? Here. Here. Senator Poore? Not with us yet. Senator Petty is absent and Senator Richardson is also absent. So we have seven here. All right, we have quorum. Next, please, for the members, take a few moments to review the draft minutes from the committee's January 29, 2026 meeting. If there's no discussion, is there a motion to approve the January 26, 20206 minutes motion…
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