Delaware · Senate Bill 61 · 152nd General Assembly

Education/Teachers/School Employees/Paid Absences/Changes

  1. Introduced Mar 7, 2023
  2. In committee Mar 7, 2023
  3. Passed the Senate Mar 16, 2023
  4. Passed the House Apr 27, 2023
  5. To the governor  
  6. Became law Jul 26, 2023

What it does

The legislature's own summary of the bill, or its official long title.

Teachers and other school employees (school employees) do not accrue annual leave that can be used on a flexible basis. Under current law, school employees may only use 3 days of sick leave for personal reasons and may be absent for 5 days after the death of an immediate family member and for 1 day only, on the day of the funeral, after the death of a near relative. This Act makes the following changes to the days…

Read the full title (310 words)

Teachers and other school employees (school employees) do not accrue annual leave that can be used on a flexible basis. Under current law, school employees may only use 3 days of sick leave for personal reasons and may be absent for 5 days after the death of an immediate family member and for 1 day only, on the day of the funeral, after the death of a near relative. This Act makes the following changes to the days that school employees may be absent without loss of pay: 1. Allows a school employee to use the 1 day of leave provided for the funeral of a near relative on the day before or the day after the funeral. 2. Increases the number of days of sick leave that a school employee can use for personal reasons from 3 to 5. 3. Provides that a chief school officer may not ask a school employee the reason they are requesting to be absent for personal reasons and can only deny the school employee's request because of operational requirements. This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual, including all of the following: 1. Clarifies the definition of “immediate family”. 2. Corrects an internal reference in subsection (j) that has been incorrect since 1971 when the language regarding excused absences by employees of special school districts, the City of Wilmington, and the State Board of Education in subsection (g) was repealed and the current requirements for the payment of unused sick leave were first enacted. Finally, Sections 2 through 4 of this Act provide that if House Bill No. 65 is enacted in 2023, school employees will receive the same bereavement leave as state employees after a pregnancy loss. If HB 65 is not enacted in 2023, these changes will not take effect.

Every action

11 steps, oldest first, as the legislature records them.

  1. CommitteeIntroduced and Assigned to Education Committee in Senate · Senate Education
  2. CommitteeReported Out of Committee (Education) in Senate with 6 Favorable · Senate Education
  3. SenatePassed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT20–0 vote
  4. CommitteeAssigned to Education Committee in House · House Education
  5. CommitteeReported Out of Committee (Education) in House with 12 On Its Merits · House Education
  6. HouseAmendment HA 2 to SB 61 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
  7. HouseAmendment HA 1 to SB 61 - Stricken in House
  8. HouseAmendment HA 2 to SB 61 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
  9. HousePassed By House. Votes: 36 YES 1 NO 4 ABSENT36–1 vote
  10. SenatePassed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES21–0 vote
  11. GovernorSigned by Governor

Roll calls

3 recorded votes: 3 on the floor, 0 in committee. Each shows how every member voted.

Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT · Full Senate

Passed 20–0
Mar 16, 2023 · journal entry
Yes 20 No 0 Not voting 1
Democrats: 15 yes, 0 no Republicans: 5 yes, 0 no
How each member voted

Yes · 20

Absent · 1

Passed By House. Votes: 36 YES 1 NO 4 ABSENT · Full House

Passed 36–1
Apr 27, 2023 · journal entry
Yes 36 No 1 Not voting 4
Democrats: 22 yes, 1 no Republicans: 14 yes, 0 no
How each member voted

Yes · 36

No · 1

Absent · 4

Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES · Full Senate

Passed 21–0
May 2, 2023 · journal entry
Yes 21 No 0
Democrats: 15 yes, 0 no Republicans: 6 yes, 0 no
How each member voted

Yes · 21

Sponsors

The member who introduced it, joined by 9 cosponsors: 9 Democrats.

All 9 cosponsors

From Delaware's official records (legis.delaware.gov), checked Nov 1, 2026. Text links go to the official versions; LegiList does not copy bill text.