Bill Text: DE SCR206 | 2023-2024 | 152nd General Assembly | Draft

---

Bill Title: Establishing The Delaware Restoring The Family Unit Task Force.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 13-0)

Status: (Failed) 2024-06-30 - Defeated By Senate. Votes: 6 YES 12 NO 1 NOT VOTING 2 ABSENT [SCR206 Detail]

Download: Delaware-2023-SCR206-Draft.html

---

SPONSOR:	Sen. Richardson & Rep. Dukes
Sens. Buckson, Hocker, Lawson, Pettyjohn, Wilson; Reps. Gray, Hilovsky, Postles, D. Short, Michael Smith, Yearick

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 206

ESTABLISHING THE DELAWARE RESTORING THE FAMILY UNIT TASK FORCE.

WHEREAS, Americans are united in the belief that strong families are a net positive for society; and

WHEREAS, rebuilding the culture starts with strong families; and

WHEREAS, a Rasmussen poll conducted in January of 2022 showed that 84% believe a strong family is foundational to a strong America; and

WHEREAS, most agree that parents should bear the primary responsibility for raising children; and

WHEREAS, only 11% of Americans say raising children is a community responsibility; and

WHEREAS, of those polled, 67% believe that the decline of the family is harmful to American growth and prosperity; and

WHEREAS, 65% of Americans think that children who grow up fatherless are at a significant disadvantage in life; and

WHEREAS, the government stepping in to take over traditional parenting duties is an increasingly common fact of life in America; and

WHEREAS, according to data from 2022, there are approximately 18.3 million children across America who live without a father in the home, equal to about 1 in 4 children; and

WHEREAS, the number is a major international outlier, with the US having the highest rate globally of children living in single-parent households; and

WHEREAS, it is believed that through targeted legislative priorities, progress can be made in reversing the disincentives currently endemic throughout national policy; and

WHEREAS, there is a growing body of research that is discovering disincentives to marriage and family stability in tax and safety net policies; and

WHEREAS, a deeper understanding of these disincentives and reforms must be reached to address them; and

WHEREAS, most adolescents who enter the justice system have suffered from parental abandonment, substance abuse, or a dysfunctional household; and

WHEREAS, it has been reported that fatherless children are up to 20 times more likely to be incarcerated than children raised in a dual-person household; and

WHEREAS, in a study of 56 school shootings, 10 of the shooters (18%) were raised in a stable home with both biological parents; 82% grew up in either an unstable family environment or grew up without both biological parents together.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 152 ^nd General Assembly, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the Delaware Restoring the Family Unit Task Force (“Task Force”) is established to examine changes in laws and practices that help unite families and to recommend a course of action that benefit the family unity and thusly the State of Delaware.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force comprises the following members, or a designee selected by a member serving by virtue of position:

(1) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, who shall serve as Chair.

(2) One member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall serve as Vice-Chair.

(3) One member of the Senate, from the minority caucus, appointed by the President Pro Tempore in consultation with the Minority Leader in the Senate.

(4) One member of the House of Representatives, from the minority caucus, appointed by the Speaker of the House in consultation with the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives.

(5) The President of the State Board of Education.

(6) The Secretary of the Department of Education.

(7) The Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services.

(8) The Secretary of the Department of Services for Children, Youth, and their Families.

(9) The Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware.

(10) The Controller General.

(11) Three members of the health care community, one from each county, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(12) Three Delaware residents, one from each county, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a member serving by virtue of position who is granted the ability to designate another individual to attend a Task Force meeting must provide the designation in writing to the Chair and Vice-Chair. An individual attending a meeting for a member serving by virtue of position has the same duties and rights as a member serving by virtue of position.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a quorum of the Task Force is the majority of the members of the Task Force.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Task Force shall examine and submit a report on the impact the following polices have on families:

(1) Delaware tax policies.

(2) Delaware welfare polices.

(3) Delaware education policies.

(4) Delaware recidivism policies.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that:

(1) Official action by the Task Force, including making findings and recommendations, requires the approval of a majority of the members of the Task Force.

(2) The Task Force may adopt rules necessary to its operation.

(3) The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Task Force are responsible for guiding the administration of the Task Force by doing, at a minimum, all of the following:

a. Setting a date, time, and place for the initial organization meeting.

b. Supervising the preparation and distribution of meeting notices, agendas, minutes, correspondence, and reports of the Task Force.

c. Sending the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Director of the Division of Research to Legislative Council, after the first meeting of the Task Force, a list of members of the Task Force and the person who appointed them.

d. Providing meeting notices, agenda, and minutes to the Director of the Division of Research of Legislative Council.

e. Ensuring that the final report of the Task Force is submitted to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with copies to all members of the General Assembly; the Governor; the Director and Librarian of the Division of Research of Legislative Council; and the Delaware Public Archives.

(4) The Task Force shall hold its first meeting no later than September 1, 2024.

(5) The Senate Minority Caucus is responsible for providing reasonable and necessary support staff, including a legislative attorney, and materials for the Task Force to carry out its mission.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chair and Vice Chair of the Task Force shall compile a report containing a summary of the Task Force’s work regarding the issues assigned to it, including any findings and recommendations related to those issues, and submit the report no later than March 1, 2025.

SYNOPSIS

This Senate Concurrent Resolution establishes the Delaware Restoring the Family Unit Task Force.

Author: Senator Richardson