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HB 320

AN ACT PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

153rd General Assembly (2025-2026) Introduced by Tim Dukes and 8 co-sponsors

HB 320 would correct and clarify Delaware Constitution language to reduce ambiguity and drafting errors, without adding new policy.

Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
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Bill Summary · HB 320

Summary of HB 320 (Session 153, Delaware)

Purpose and Intent

HB 320 proposes amendments to the Delaware Constitution to address technical corrections. While the title indicates a focus on corrections, the bill’s stated aim is to make precise, non-substantive amendments to constitutional text to improve clarity, fix drafting inconsistencies, align terminology, and ensure consistency with current law and practice. The measure is framed as housekeeping or technical corrections rather than policy shifts.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • The bill proposes amendments to the Delaware Constitution to correct or clarify language. Specific provisions are not detailed in the available summary, but typical “technical corrections” involve:

    • Fixing grammar, punctuation, and spelling
    • Aligning terms with current legal standards or other constitutional provisions
    • Resolving cross-references and numbering issues
    • Clarifying the scope or applicability of constitutional text (without adding new policy commitments)

  • The proposals are framed as amendments that would require formal constitutional modification, typically via legislative passage and a voter ratification process (the exact procedural steps are not enumerated in the provided summary, but constitutional amendments generally follow the state’s constitutional amendment process).

Affected Parties and Scope

  • The primary impact is on the text of the Delaware Constitution, affecting all residents and state actors who rely on the constitutional provisions.
  • Legal practitioners, state agencies, courts, and legislators would use the corrected language to interpret and apply constitutional provisions more consistently.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduced: March 11, 2026, and assigned to the Administration Committee in the House.
  • Committee Action: Reported out of Committee on April 15, 2026, with a positive committee report “On Its Merits” (5 votes in favor, as indicated by the committee report status; exact vote tally not provided in the summary).
  • Next steps (typical for constitutional amendments in Delaware): If approved by the House, the bill would proceed through the Senate (subject to separate readings and committee processes) and would ultimately require voter approval in a statewide referendum to amend the Constitution.

Sponsors

  • Primary and co-sponsors include: Ed Osienski, Tim Dukes, Dave Sokola, Melissa Minor-Brown, Stell Selby, Kerri Harris, Brian Pettyjohn, Josue Ortega, and Bryan Townsend. The broad sponsorship indicates cross-ideological support and bipartisan interest in correcting constitutional language.

Practical Implications

  • If enacted and ratified, the amendments would yield a cleaner, more cohesive constitutional text, reducing ambiguity and potential litigation arising from drafting errors.
  • There is no indication of new policy mandates or funding commitments; the changes are consistent with maintaining current constitutional structure while improving precision.

Note

  • Lack of detailed text in the provided material means the summary focuses on the general nature of technical corrections rather than specific constitutional changes. For a complete understanding, the bill’s exact proposed constitutional language and any accompanying explanatory notes would be necessary.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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