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Senate Legislative Session - Session 2 - 6th Legislative Day

Thursday, January 22, 2026·2h 33m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Delaware Senate confirmed two gubernatorial nominees, passed a retail crime task force extension, and advanced two contested New Castle County property assessment bills over Republican objections about process and privacy — with Senator Buckson and others voting 'not voting' on the assessment measures and Senator Richardson casting the lone 'no' vote on the subpoena power bill.

Key Actions

·Nomination – Jonathan Sheehan as President, State Board of EducationNo Vote

+ 5 more actions

Controversies

Legislative process and timeline for SB 228 and SB 230

Senator Buckson argued that the bills were filed at 10pm Tuesday night, placed in committee on Wednesday, and brought to the floor on Thursday, and that he learned of substitute bills only about an hour and a half before the vote, stating 'this is a vote that tramples process and process matters.' Senator Cruce acknowledged 'the feedback from my Republican colleagues during our committee session yesterday' and 'voices of the advocates who shared concern about the speed of the process,' but defended moving forward with urgency, stating the goal was to create 'the longest Runway possible.'

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“This bill gives clear authority to New Castle county and it gives it the tools that it needs to address a problem that our neighbors have waited long for to have us fix.”

Senator Cruce — Senator Cruce, the sponsor of SS1 for SB 228, made this statement on the Senate floor while presenting the bill enabling New Castle County to conduct a quality control review of commercial property assessments.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Confirmation of Jonathan Sheehan as President of the State Board of EducationNo Vote
Yes (17)Brown, Cruce, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Poore, Richardson, Seigfried, Sokola, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson
Absent (4)Buckson, Lawson, Pinkney, Sturgeon
Confirmation of Richard T. Garrett as Member of the Board of ParoleNo Vote
Yes (16)Brown, Buckson, Cruce, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Poore, Richardson, Seigfried, Sokola, Townsend, Wilson
Absent (5)Lawson, Mantzavinos, Pinkney, Sturgeon, Walsh
Senate Concurrent Resolution Number 130 – Retail Crime Prevention Task Force ExtensionPassed
Yes (18)Brown, Buckson, Cruce, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Poore, Richardson, Seigfried, Sokola, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson
Absent (3)Lawson, Pinkney, Sturgeon
Senate Substitute Number 1 for Senate Bill 228 – County Assessments and Tax CollectionPassed
Yes (15)Brown, Cruce, Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pinkney, Poore, Seigfried, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh
Absent (1)Lawson
Senate Amendment Number 1 to Senate Substitute Number 1 for Senate Bill 230Passed
Yes (20)Brown, Buckson, Cruce, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Pinkney, Poore, Richardson, Seigfried, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson
Absent (1)Lawson
Senate Substitute Number 1 for Senate Bill 230 as amended by Senate Amendment Number 1 – Subpoena PowerPassed
Yes (15)Brown, Cruce, Hansen, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lockman, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pinkney, Poore, Seigfried, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh
No (1)Richardson
Absent (1)Lawson
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TranscriptPreview
Take your seats. Sergeant. Arms, please close the doors. And if you can, please silence your mobile devices. Mr. Secretary. Any communications, Madam President? President pro tems listed, Senator. Thank you, Madam President. May so much be considered the reading of the pre file seeing no objection so moved. Mr. Secretary. Any additional communications? No additional communications at this time, Madam President. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Senator Townsend. Thank you, Madam President. I move the Senate adjourn until 12:36pm on Thursday, January 22nd. The Senate is reconvene. Senate is adjourned. I apologize. The Senate will come to order. Members and guests, please rise for our prayer followed by our pledge. Please join me in an attitude of prayer. Dear, dear Lord, watch over us today as we engage in a new beginning that marks an opportunity for our state to meet the message, to meet the needs of the day. Watch over us, Lord, as we enter into this hall. And I apologize. And Lord, please remember that we serve under your good guidance. And please bless the leaders of our state. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for…
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