Delaware 2023-2024 Regular Session

Delaware Senate Bill SB80 Latest Draft

Bill / Draft Version

                            SPONSOR:      Sen. S. McBride & Rep. Griffith       Sens. Brown, Gay, Hansen, Huxtable, Lockman, Pinkney, Poore, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend; Reps. Baumbach, Briggs King, Heffernan, K. Johnson, Minor-Brown, Morrison, Romer, Wilson-Anton           DELAWARE STATE SENATE   152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY       SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1   FOR   SENATE BILL NO. 80       AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO IMMIGRATION STATUS REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL LICENSES.      

     

     SPONSOR:      Sen. S. McBride & Rep. Griffith       Sens. Brown, Gay, Hansen, Huxtable, Lockman, Pinkney, Poore, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend; Reps. Baumbach, Briggs King, Heffernan, K. Johnson, Minor-Brown, Morrison, Romer, Wilson-Anton     

SPONSOR: Sen. S. McBride & Rep. Griffith
Sens. Brown, Gay, Hansen, Huxtable, Lockman, Pinkney, Poore, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend; Reps. Baumbach, Briggs King, Heffernan, K. Johnson, Minor-Brown, Morrison, Romer, Wilson-Anton

 SPONSOR:  

 Sen. S. McBride & Rep. Griffith 

 Sens. Brown, Gay, Hansen, Huxtable, Lockman, Pinkney, Poore, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend; Reps. Baumbach, Briggs King, Heffernan, K. Johnson, Minor-Brown, Morrison, Romer, Wilson-Anton 

   

 DELAWARE STATE SENATE 

 152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

   

 SENATE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1 

 FOR 

 SENATE BILL NO. 80 

   

 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO IMMIGRATION STATUS REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL LICENSES. 

   

      BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:       Section 1. Amend Chapter 6, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:     610. Prohibiting the denial of an application for a license solely on immigration or citizenship status.    (a) The General Assembly hereby finds and declares all of the following:    (1) It is in the best interests of this State to make full use of the skills and talents of every resident of this State.    (2) It is the public policy of this State that each resident of this State, regardless of immigration or citizenship status, is eligible to receive the benefit of applying for a license, certificate, or permit pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1621(d).   (b) For purposes of this section,    (1) Application means an application for issuance or renewal of any license, permit, certificate, approval, registration, or other similar form of permission or authorization to practice or engage in any profession, occupation, or business of any commission, board, or agency.   (2) Social security number exemption attestation means a signed statement from the applicant stating that   if the applicant obtains a social security number in the future, the applicant will update their application with that social security number.   (3) State means any agency, authority, department, instrumentality, commission, office, board, or other unit of this States government authorized by law to issue a professional license, permit, certification, approval, or registration necessary to engage in any profession, occupation, or business of any commission, board, or agency.   (c) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, the State may not deny an application because of the applicants immigration or citizenship status.    (d)(1)  Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, if an applicant for a license does not have a social security number, the applicant must do 1 or more of the following when completing an application for a license:   a. Provide an alternative personally identifying number, such as the applicants individual taxpayer identification number,   b. Complete a social security number exemption attestation.   (2) A social security number or alternative personally identifying number provided in an application is confidential and is not a public record for the purposes of Chapter 100 of this title. The State may not disclose that social security number or alternative personally identifying number, except for the following purposes:    a. Tax purposes.    b. Licensing purposes.   c. Enforcement of an order for the payment of child support.   Section 2. Amend 8735, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:     8735. Division of Professional Regulation.    (a) The Division of Professional Regulation  shall have   (Division) has  the powers,  duties   duties,  and functions set forth  in   under  this section. The Division shall be responsible for the administrative, ministerial, budgetary,  clerical   clerical,  and exclusive investigative  functions (including but not limited to   functions, including  the appointment, removal,  compensation   compensation,  and duties of  employees)   employees,  as provided by law of the following commissions,  boards   boards,  and agencies, with the exception that the Secretary of State  shall   is  not  be  precluded from entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services  (DHSS)  for the purpose of allowing employees of  the Department of Health and Social Services   DHSS  to function as inspectors,  investigators   investigators,  and administrative support for the Board of Pharmacy:    (g) (1)  The Director of  the Division of  Professional Regulation  (Director)  shall ensure that all regulatory actions taken by boards and commissions listed in this section are in conformance with the Administrative Procedures  Act [ 10101 et seq.   Act, Chapter 101  of this  title]   title  and the Freedom of Information  Act [ 10001 et seq.   Act, Chapter 100  of this  title].   title.  The Director shall review and approve all legal notices, public  notices   notices,  and agendas for conformance with these requirements.    (2) A social security number or alternative personally identifying number, such as an individual taxpayer identification number, provided to the Division is confidential and is not a public record for the purposes of Chapter 100 of this title. The Division may not disclose the social security number or alternative personally identifying number, except for the following purposes:    a. Tax purposes.    b. Licensing purposes.    c. Enforcement of an order for the payment of child support.    (m) The Social Security number of the applicant shall be included on the application for issuance or renewal of any license, permit, certificate, approval,  registration   registration,  or other similar form of permission or authorization to practice or engage in any profession,  occupation   occupation,  or business of any commission,  board   board,  or agency  named in this section (but not including any   under subsection (a) of this section, except for any of the following:    (1) A  license issued on behalf of a nonprofit applicant by the Board of Charitable Gaming  as set forth in   under  Chapter 15 of Title  28).   28.   (2) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, if an applicant for a license does not have a social security number, the applicant must do 1 or more of the following when completing an application for a license:   a. Provide an alternative personally identifying number, such as the applicants individual taxpayer identification number,   b. Complete a social security number exemption attestation.      

   

 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE: 

   

 Section 1. Amend Chapter 6, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows: 

   610. Prohibiting the denial of an application for a license solely on immigration or citizenship status. 

  (a) The General Assembly hereby finds and declares all of the following: 

  (1) It is in the best interests of this State to make full use of the skills and talents of every resident of this State. 

  (2) It is the public policy of this State that each resident of this State, regardless of immigration or citizenship status, is eligible to receive the benefit of applying for a license, certificate, or permit pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1621(d). 

 (b) For purposes of this section,  

 (1) Application means an application for issuance or renewal of any license, permit, certificate, approval, registration, or other similar form of permission or authorization to practice or engage in any profession, occupation, or business of any commission, board, or agency. 

 (2) Social security number exemption attestation means a signed statement from the applicant stating that   if the applicant obtains a social security number in the future, the applicant will update their application with that social security number. 

 (3) State means any agency, authority, department, instrumentality, commission, office, board, or other unit of this States government authorized by law to issue a professional license, permit, certification, approval, or registration necessary to engage in any profession, occupation, or business of any commission, board, or agency. 

 (c) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, the State may not deny an application because of the applicants immigration or citizenship status. 

  (d)(1)  Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, if an applicant for a license does not have a social security number, the applicant must do 1 or more of the following when completing an application for a license: 

 a. Provide an alternative personally identifying number, such as the applicants individual taxpayer identification number, 

 b. Complete a social security number exemption attestation. 

 (2) A social security number or alternative personally identifying number provided in an application is confidential and is not a public record for the purposes of Chapter 100 of this title. The State may not disclose that social security number or alternative personally identifying number, except for the following purposes: 

  a. Tax purposes. 

  b. Licensing purposes. 

 c. Enforcement of an order for the payment of child support. 

 Section 2. Amend 8735, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows: 

   8735. Division of Professional Regulation. 

  (a) The Division of Professional Regulation  shall have   (Division) has  the powers,  duties   duties,  and functions set forth  in   under  this section. The Division shall be responsible for the administrative, ministerial, budgetary,  clerical   clerical,  and exclusive investigative  functions (including but not limited to   functions, including  the appointment, removal,  compensation   compensation,  and duties of  employees)   employees,  as provided by law of the following commissions,  boards   boards,  and agencies, with the exception that the Secretary of State  shall   is  not  be  precluded from entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services  (DHSS)  for the purpose of allowing employees of  the Department of Health and Social Services   DHSS  to function as inspectors,  investigators   investigators,  and administrative support for the Board of Pharmacy: 

  (g) (1)  The Director of  the Division of  Professional Regulation  (Director)  shall ensure that all regulatory actions taken by boards and commissions listed in this section are in conformance with the Administrative Procedures  Act [ 10101 et seq.   Act, Chapter 101  of this  title]   title  and the Freedom of Information  Act [ 10001 et seq.   Act, Chapter 100  of this  title].   title.  The Director shall review and approve all legal notices, public  notices   notices,  and agendas for conformance with these requirements. 

  (2) A social security number or alternative personally identifying number, such as an individual taxpayer identification number, provided to the Division is confidential and is not a public record for the purposes of Chapter 100 of this title. The Division may not disclose the social security number or alternative personally identifying number, except for the following purposes: 

  a. Tax purposes. 

  b. Licensing purposes. 

  c. Enforcement of an order for the payment of child support. 

  (m) The Social Security number of the applicant shall be included on the application for issuance or renewal of any license, permit, certificate, approval,  registration   registration,  or other similar form of permission or authorization to practice or engage in any profession,  occupation   occupation,  or business of any commission,  board   board,  or agency  named in this section (but not including any   under subsection (a) of this section, except for any of the following: 

  (1) A  license issued on behalf of a nonprofit applicant by the Board of Charitable Gaming  as set forth in   under  Chapter 15 of Title  28).   28. 

 (2) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, if an applicant for a license does not have a social security number, the applicant must do 1 or more of the following when completing an application for a license: 

 a. Provide an alternative personally identifying number, such as the applicants individual taxpayer identification number, 

 b. Complete a social security number exemption attestation. 

   

      SYNOPSIS   Senate Bill No. 80 codifies the current practice in Delaware of not requiring proof of citizenship or a specific immigration status on an application for a professional license. By affirmatively providing eligibility for professional licenses regardless of immigration status, Senate Bill No. 80 brings Delaware into compliance with a federal requirement in place since August 22, 1996, under 8 U.S.C.S. 1621(d), and provides public notice of this policy. Senate Bill No. 80 also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.      Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 80 differs from Senate Bill No. 80 by also codifying the current practice of allowing an applicant for a professional license who does not have a social security number to submit instead, an attestation stating that if the applicant obtains a social security number in the future, the applicant will update their application with that social security number.    Author: Senator S. McBride  

   

 SYNOPSIS 

 Senate Bill No. 80 codifies the current practice in Delaware of not requiring proof of citizenship or a specific immigration status on an application for a professional license. By affirmatively providing eligibility for professional licenses regardless of immigration status, Senate Bill No. 80 brings Delaware into compliance with a federal requirement in place since August 22, 1996, under 8 U.S.C.S. 1621(d), and provides public notice of this policy. Senate Bill No. 80 also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual. 

  

 Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 80 differs from Senate Bill No. 80 by also codifying the current practice of allowing an applicant for a professional license who does not have a social security number to submit instead, an attestation stating that if the applicant obtains a social security number in the future, the applicant will update their application with that social security number.  

 Author: Senator S. McBride