Delaware legislation · 153rd General Assembly
Delaware SB9: State Nontidal Wetlands Program/Institute
Status: Signed into law, July 21, 2026
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE PROTECTION OF WETLANDS.
What the bill says
An act to amend title 7 of the delaware code relating to the protection of wetlands.
From the introduced text, March 31, 2026:
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE PROTECTION OF WETLANDS. WHEREAS, healthy wetlands reduce, store, and filter stormwater runoff and can help remove harmful bacteria and pollutants, thereby protecting sources of Delaware's water supply; and WHEREAS, wetlands provide flood storage capacity thereby protecting public and private property from flooding and the resultant financial and personal impacts associated therewith; and WHEREAS, the preservation, restoration, creation, and enhancement of wetlands plays a critical role in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change, supporting biodiversity and ensuring water resource sustainability for our State; and WHEREAS, wetlands are one of the most powerful natural carbon sinks on Earth, storing a disproportionately large share of terrestrial carbon; and WHEREAS, while the State has acted to protect tidal wetlands, it has not taken action to protect the State's nontidal wetlands relying instead on federal regulations enforced by the United States Army Corps of Engineers pursuant to the Clean Water Act; and WHEREAS, the federal government has shifted its definition of what qualifies as a wetland under its jurisdiction three times from 2015 to 2023; and WHEREAS, in a 2022 report to the General Assembly titled "Options for a Nontidal Wetland Permitting Program," the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control determined that the approximate acreage of nontidal wetlands no …
Sponsors
- Stephanie Hansen (D, 10) · primary sponsor
- Bryan Townsend (D, 11)
- Debra Heffernan (D, 6)
- Eric Buckson (R, 16)
- Daniel Cruce (D, 1)
- Kyra Hoffner (D, 14)
- Russ Huxtable (D, 6)
- Elizabeth Lockman (D, 3)
- Marie Pinkney (D, 13)
- Raymond Seigfried (D, 5)
- David Sokola (D, 8)
- Laura Sturgeon (D, 4)
Latest actions
- : Signed by Governor
- : Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
- : Passed By House. Votes: 39 YES 1 NO 1 ABSENT
- : Amendment HA 1 to SB 9 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
- : Amendment HA 1 to SB 9 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
- : Reported Out of Committee (Appropriations) in House with 4 On Its Merits
- : Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House
- : Reported Out of Committee (Natural Resources & Energy) in House with 8 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits
- : Assigned to Natural Resources & Energy Committee in House
- : Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
Votes
- Passed (2/3) (July 1, 2026): 20 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Passed (2/3) (July 1, 2026): 39 yea, 1 nay, passed
- Passed (SM) (June 10, 2026): 18 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Passed (2/3) (June 10, 2026): 20 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is SB9?
- SB9 is a bill in the Delaware Legislature (153rd General Assembly): State Nontidal Wetlands Program/Institute.
- What does SB9 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend title 7 of the delaware code relating to the protection of wetlands.
- What is the status of SB9?
- Signed into law as of July 21, 2026. Latest action: Signed by Governor (July 21, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB9?
- Stephanie Hansen (D, 10), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB9?
- On the Delaware Legislature website: https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143028
Source: official Delaware record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.