Friends and neighbors,
Happy new year! As my colleagues and I prepare for the start of legislative session next week, I want to share a few legislative and community updates with you.
In this email, you’ll find information on legislation I sponsored, community news, and local resources.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, community concerns, or just to say hi. I can be reached by email at nicole.poore@delaware.gov, on Facebook, or by calling my Senate office at (302) 744-4164.
Sincerely,
Nicole Poore
Senator, District 12
Behavioral Health Crises Care Task Force
Delaware, like so many other states, was facing real mental health crisis, particularly among our young people, long before pandemic.
Providing better services and resources for those struggling with mental health issues requires us to also confront the reality that many of our systems are ill-equipped to effectively help people experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. For far too long, our response has been to arrest and incarcerate rather than build a crisis service system based on solid principals of behavior health.
That’s why Rep. Valerie Maglio Longhurst and I formed the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Task Force to bring together mental health and substance abuse experts, health care providers, law enforcement officers, emergency responders and people on the frontlines of this crisis everyday to find better solutions that produce better outcomes for people in crisis.
Recently, we met with Annie Slease and Sue Mulhern from NAMI Delaware to learn more about best practices across the country. Read more about our work and how you can attend the next meeting here: https://bit.ly/3dvN5C8
Around the 12th District
Thank you for 100 years of service, Christiana Fire Company!
Read House and Gardens Visit
COVID-19 Update
Delaware is currently facing a winter surge that has led to a record-breaking number of positive COVID cases and hospitalizations, as well as an overwhelming increase in the demand placed on COVID testing sites. Our healthcare system, local businesses, and even testing sites are facing staffing shortages as the Delta and Omicron variants spread at increased rates.
All Delawareans — regardless of vaccination status — are encouraged to avoid social gatherings and mask up when you’re around others outside of your household.
If you have not done so already, please sign up now to get fully vaccinated and boosted. Click here to find a list of vaccination sites. Individuals over the age of 12 who received their second shot over 6 months ago are encouraged to get their booster shot. Click here to find out where to get your booster.
To access a comprehensive collection of resources, including updated guidance and other tools to fight the spread of COVID-19, visit de.gov/coronavirus
New Castle County Property Reassessments Underway
As a result of a Delaware Chancery Court ruling in 2020, property values throughout our state are being reassessed for the first time in decades.
Here in New Castle County, data collectors are now in the process of updating property assessments to more accurately reflect current values. Once the data has been collected, property owners can expect to receive a mailer with the findings for their property.
To check if there is a data collector currently in your area, contact the County Assessment Office at (302) 395-5520.
Delaware State Park Passes Delayed
Delaware State Parks 2022 annual passes and surf fishing permits have been delayed due to nationwide supply chain disruptions.
Due to this delay, 2021 surf fishing permits will be honored on surf fishing beaches through Jan. 31, 2022. Daily entrance to Delaware State Parks is free through Feb. 28, 2022.
Annual passes are expected to be available for purchase later this month.
To learn more or purchase your 2022 pass once available, visit: https://destateparks.com/Know/PassesTagsFees
Welcome home, Louie!
Delaware’s animal rescues and shelters provide an invaluable service to our communities and our vulnerable four-legged neighbors. They also provide a great place to find a new member of your family.
My family and I recently welcomed our newest baby – Louie from Brandywine Valley SPCA. This sweet boy has already brought us all so much joy.
Many thanks to the Brandywine SPCA team for all you do to make sure pets around our state, like Louie, can find a safe and loving home.
DelDOT Update
The I-95 Restore the Corridor project entered its second “contraflow phase”
meaning northbound and southbound traffic are sharing the northbound side of the roadway.
Delaware residents and commuters are encouraged to sign up for project updates, delivered directly to your inbox or phone. To sign up, visit https://restorethecorridor.com/sign-up-for-alerts.
If you haven’t yet, be sure to download the DelDOT app on your mobile device to access real-time travel advisories and updates on current projects.
For a project guide, map of current closures, future closures, and more, visit: https://restorethecorridor.com/
Legislative Update
In Delaware, our regular legislative session runs each year from the second Tuesday in January through June 30. This year, our session will begin on Tuesday, January 11.
To watch Senate proceedings live or if you want to come back later to watch recordings of past proceedings, click here.
To view daily Senate Agendas, click here. To view upcoming committee meetings, legislative session start times, and more, click here.
Real Work on Broadband Begins Now
In the 21st century, broadband infrastructure is arguably just as important as the physical infrastructure we use to commute to work. Over the last two years, we have all seen firsthand just how critical the internet can be when it comes to helping our children complete schoolwork, reporting for work even when we’re remote, protecting our access to medical professionals, keeping in touch with our families and friends, and ensuring state government continues to serve Delawareans during a crisis.
For me, this isn’t partisan politics or abstract policy – it’s personal. As the mother of three kids – one born premature and diagnosed with cerebral palsy – I know universal broadband connectivity means that every family will have uninterrupted access to education, including special needs programs, and to world-class medical professionals via telehealth. Click here to read more.
Redistricting
This fall, the Senate returned for a special session to vote on redistricting legislation – the redrawing of legislative district boundaries using the most recent decennial data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The final maps were approved by both the Senate and the House on November 1.
To learn more about the redistricting process and to view the final maps, click here.