Sen. Bryan Townsend represents the 11th Senatorial District, which covers the Southern Newark area, including portions of Bear and Glasgow.
Bryan and his wife Lilianna, a fellow attorney and a first-generation Vietnamese American, are the proud parents of two young, spirited sons Logan and Landon.
Bryan is the son of a retired Newark police officer and a retired public school teacher. He graduated from Glasgow High School in 1999 before attending the University of Delaware (economics/philosophy/biology), the University of Cambridge (Chinese studies), and Yale Law School.
After law school, Bryan returned to Delaware to clerk for Chancellor William Chandler III of the Delaware Court of Chancery. He then became an attorney focused on Delaware corporate litigation, and has represented Delaware businesses of all sizes, as well as children in foster care, victims of domestic violence, and a veteran with service-related disabilities.
Bryan also has volunteered with the Christiana Volunteer Fire Co., Special Olympics Delaware, the Food Bank of Delaware, and Big Brothers Big Sisters Delaware.
He was first elected to the Delaware Senate in 2012. The Senate Democratic Caucus elected him Majority Whip in 2018. He has served as Majority Leader since 2020.
Bryan currently serves as chair of the Senate Labor Committee and vice chair of the Senate Executive, Housing & Land Use, and Legislative Council committees. He is also a member of the Senate Judiciary and Rules & Ethics committees.
Family
Spouse: Lilianna; Children: Logan and Landon
Education
Glasgow High School, Class of 1999; Bachelor’s degree, Economics, University of Delaware, 2003; Bachelor’s degree, Philosophy/Biology, University of Delaware, 2004; Master’s degree, Economics, University of Delaware, 2003; Master of Philosophy degree, Chinese Studies, University of Cambridge, 2006; Juris Doctorate, Yale Law School, 2009
Occupation
Attorney
Legislative Service:
Senate, 2012 to present; Senate Majority Whip, 2018 to 2020; Senate Majority Leader, 2020 to present
Committees:
- Labor, Chair
- Executive, Vice-Chair
- Housing & Land Use, Vice-Chair
- Legislative Council, Vice-Chair
- Judiciary, Member
- Rules & Ethics, Member
Legislative Highlights
House Bill 391
This Act amends the Charter of the Town of Millville. Section 1 of the Act revises the closing time for the closing of the polls on the day of the municipal election, from 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Town […]
House Concurrent Resolution 14
This Concurrent Resolution requests that the budget bill prepared by the Joint Finance Committee keep the Senior Property Tax Credit at its statutorily enacted level of the lesser of 50%, or $500, rather than lower the maximum credit amount through […]
Senate Bill 244
Under current Delaware law, if a labor dispute constitutes a lockout, employees are immediately eligible for unemployment benefits. Additionally, current law permits an individual to collect unemployment benefits beginning the third week of a labor dispute, other than a lockout. […]
House Bill 379 - House Amendent 1
This Act Amends Title 10 of the Delaware Code by allowing automatic Expungement for Juveniles who choose to participate in the Juvenile Offender Civil Citation Program after one year of successful completion of the program. This Program was offered as […]
