Delaware legislation · 153rd General Assembly
Delaware HJR11: Judiciary/HOPE Court Program/Working Group
Status: Signed into law, August 17, 2026
DIRECTING THE JUDICIARY TO ESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A HOUSING OPPORTUNITY AND POVERTY ELIMINATION (HOPE) COURT PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATEWIDE IMPLEMENTATION.
What the bill says
From the introduced text, May 12, 2026:
Legislation Document SPONSOR: Rep. Berry & Rep. Griffith & Rep. Lambert & Rep. Phillips & Sen. Huxtable Reps. Gorman, K. Johnson, Morrison, Snyder-Hall, Romer, Harris; Sens. Pinkney, Cruce HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 11 DIRECTING THE JUDICIARY TO ESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A HOUSING OPPORTUNITY AND POVERTY ELIMINATION (HOPE) COURT PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATEWIDE IMPLEMENTATION. WHEREAS, individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability often face legal barriers, including outstanding warrants, fines, and low-level offenses, that impede access to housing, employment, and essential services; and WHEREAS, Homeless Court Programs, first established in 1989 and now implemented nationwide, provide a voluntary pathway for individuals to resolve eligible cases through engagement with community-based providers rather than traditional punitive measures; and WHEREAS, these programs operate through partnerships among courts, service providers, and government agencies to address the underlying causes of homelessness and poverty, improve public safety, and reduce recidivism; and WHEREAS, data from established programs demonstrate that the majority of cases are resolved through dismissal or satisfaction of fines upon completion of service-based requirements, removing barriers to self-sufficiency; and WHEREAS, the Delaware Judiciary, in coordination with state agencies and community partners, is well-positioned to explore a similar model tailored to the needs of …
Sponsors
- Alonna Berry (D, 20) · primary sponsor
- Krista Griffith (D, 12)
- Larry Lambert (D, 7)
- Sophie Phillips (D, 18)
- Russ Huxtable (D, 6)
- Mara Gorman (D, 23)
- Kendra Johnson (D, 5)
- Eric Morrison (D, 27)
- Rebecca Snyder-Hall (D, 14)
- Cyndie Romer (D, 25)
- Kerri Harris (D, 32)
- Marie Pinkney (D, 13)
Latest actions
- : Signed by Governor
- : Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
- : Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits
- : Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
- : Passed By House. Votes: 35 YES 6 ABSENT
- : Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 1 Favorable, 5 On Its Merits
- : Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House
Votes
- Passed (SM) (June 30, 2026): 20 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Passed (SM) (June 9, 2026): 35 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is HJR11?
- HJR11 is a bill in the Delaware Legislature (153rd General Assembly): Judiciary/HOPE Court Program/Working Group.
- What does HJR11 do?
- DIRECTING THE JUDICIARY TO ESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A HOUSING OPPORTUNITY AND POVERTY ELIMINATION (HOPE) COURT PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH STATE AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATEWIDE IMPLEMENTATION.
- What is the status of HJR11?
- Signed into law as of August 17, 2026. Latest action: Signed by Governor (August 17, 2026).
- Who sponsored HJR11?
- Alonna Berry (D, 20), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HJR11?
- On the Delaware Legislature website: https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143272
Source: official Delaware record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.