FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | June 25, 2020
Delaware State Senate Majority Caucus
Contact: Scott Goss (302) 744-4180, or
Dylan McDowell (302) 744-4282
The Delaware Senate on Thursday unanimously approved the two remaining “money bills,” including the Fiscal Year 2021 Bond Bill and the Grant-In-Aid legislation.
The final Bond Bill represents a major reduction from the record capital budget initially proposed by Governor Carney in January.
Senate Bill 242 totals $708 million and includes $363.6 million for transportation projects and $344.4 million for other one-time investments in public schools, higher education, state parks, clean drinking water and affordable housing.
State funding allocated in the Bond Bill also will leverage up to another $150 million in federal funds, research grants and local funding. That is expected to include an additional $5 million for farmland preservation and an additional $18 million for water infrastructure projects.
“Governor Carney proposed a tremendous capital improvement spending plan back in January and none of us on the Joint Capital Improvement Committee enjoyed scaling that proposal back in recent weeks,” said Committee Co-Chair Senator David Sokola, D-Newark. “Fortunately, those funds can now be redirected to shore up our operating budget and what remains still maintains our commitments to fund new school construction in all three counties, pay for long-overdue maintenance at our college campuses, preserve acres of pristine farmland and open space, fund clean water improvement projects and undertake significant housing and economic development projects.”
The Grant-In-Aid legislation passed by the Senate on Thursday holds the line on spending at slightly less than the current fiscal year levels. Senate Bill 260 totals $54.5 million and includes funding for dozens of fire companies and other nonprofits that serve Delawareans.
“Our nonprofits do an incredible job of assisting vulnerable Delawareans and give us an unbelievable return on our investment,” said Joint Finance Committee Co-Chair Senator Harris McDowell, D-Wilmington. “We know many of those organizations that depend on financial support from Grant-In-Aid are still struggling to get back to where they were in 2016. While we will not be able to assist them in making up lost ground, Senate Bill 260 at least maintains the status quo. My hope is this economic downturn we are all experiencing will be short lived and the General Assembly will see fit to remember this day as it considers future Grant-In-Aid allocations.”
Senate Bill 242 and Senate Bill 260 now head to the Delaware House of Representatives for final consideration.
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