Legislative Update
David Rugg, Director of Legislative Affairs
Legislation Impacting Delaware's Veterans (2026)
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The second half of the 153rd General Assembly will reconvene on January 13th, 2026. Watch this space in 2026 for updates on legislation impacting Delaware's veterans.
See the 2025 legislative summary in the BLOG section of this site.
https://www.deldemvets.org/blog
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Three of the bills we tracked during the 1st half of the session did not make it through the entire legislative process. The bills are listed here as they are likely to be reintroduced. We will update the bills as they move through the process.
​House Bill 108 (REPORTED OUT OF COMMITTEE) increases the personal income tax pension exclusion from $12,500 to $25,000 including military pensions.
https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142071
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​House Bill 133 (REPORTED OUT OF COMMITTEE) gives courts the discretion to waive fines and fees, in whole or in part, in appropriate circumstances. It also creates a presumption that fines and fees will not be imposed when a defendant shows evidence of certain conditions, including receiving a public assistance benefit (like Medicaid, SNAP, or veterans’ benefits like Veterans Affairs Pension or Service-Connected Disability Compensation) or being represented by the Office of Defense Services. It also creates a hearing process for anyone already sentenced to pay a fine or fee. The changes in this Act are based on recommendations of the Criminal Legal System Imposed Debt Study Group.
​https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142176
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House Bill 218 (ASSIGNED TO COMMITTEE) requires the courts to consider whether a military protective order has been issued against a respondent in determining whether there is an immediate and present danger to the petitioner. It further requires that a law-enforcement officer notify the agency that entered a military protective order against an individual, if the law-enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that the individual violated the military protective order.
https://legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?LegislationId=142554
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