Delaware legislation · 153rd General Assembly
Delaware HB421: Sexual Violence Protective Order/Criteria Change
Status: Signed into law, September 14, 2026
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SEXUAL VIOLENCE PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
What the bill says
An act to amend title 10 of the delaware code relating to sexual violence protective orders.
From the introduced text, May 14, 2026:
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 10 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO SEXUAL VIOLENCE PROTECTIVE ORDERS. Section 1. Amend § 7205, Title 10 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows: § 7205. Nonemergency proceedings. (b) The following procedures govern a nonemergency proceeding: (7) The Superior Court must not consider the following evidence in determining whether to grant or deny a petition: A petition for a sexual violence protective order may not be denied based on evidence that: a. The respondent was voluntarily intoxicated when any of the acts alleged occurred. b. The petitioner was voluntarily intoxicated. c. The petitioner engaged in limited consensual sexual touching with the respondent. d. The petitioner did not report respondent's non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration or contemporaneous or subsequent threatening conduct to law-enforcement officials. SYNOPSIS This Act changes the criteria for granting or denying a sexual violence protective order by prohibiting the consideration of certain information only in the decision to deny a protective order rather than prohibiting its consideration at all.
Sponsors
- Krista Griffith (D, 12) · primary sponsor
- Nicole Poore (D, 12)
- Cyndie Romer (D, 25)
- Marie Pinkney (D, 13)
- Kyra Hoffner (D, 14)
Latest actions
- : Signed by Governor
- : Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 ABSENT
- : Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits
- : Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
- : Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 ABSENT
- : Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 10 On Its Merits
- : Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House
Votes
- Passed (SM) (July 1, 2026): 19 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Passed (SM) (June 11, 2026): 40 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is HB421?
- HB421 is a bill in the Delaware Legislature (153rd General Assembly): Sexual Violence Protective Order/Criteria Change.
- What does HB421 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend title 10 of the delaware code relating to sexual violence protective orders.
- What is the status of HB421?
- Signed into law as of September 14, 2026. Latest action: Signed by Governor (September 14, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB421?
- Krista Griffith (D, 12), with 4 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB421?
- On the Delaware Legislature website: https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=143307
Source: official Delaware record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.