Opportunity Fund Bill Headed to the Governor

The House last week passed Senate Bill 56 almost unanimously, 39-0-2. Representatives Melissa Minor-Brown and Madinah Wilson-Anton were absent for the vote. Senate Bill 56 codifies and fully funds the Delaware Opportunity Fund. This program provides direct funding and support to low income students, English learners and young special needs students. By fiscal year 2025, funding for the program would more than double, to $60 million annually.

Prime Sponsor Senator Laura Sturgeon on the House vote: “I am so deeply pleased, humbled, and grateful to see that my legislation to make Delaware’s school funding formula more equitable has passed the House. Thank you to advocates and legislators up and down the state for their tireless efforts that brought us to this point. On to the Governor’s desk!”

Senate Bill 56 Sponsors	Yes Votes	No Votes
Sturgeon, Lockman, Brown, Ennis, Gay, Hansen, Mantzavinos, S.McBride, Paradee, Pinkney, Poore, Sokola, Townsend, Walsh, Lopez	Passed 20-0-1. Bonini, Brown, Ennis, Gay, Hansen, Hocker, Lawson, Lockman, Lopez, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Pinkney, Poore, Richardson, S.McBride, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh	Wilson (not voting)
K.Williams, Chukwuocha, Baumbach, Bentz, Brady, Bush, Griffith, Heffernan, K.Johnson, Lynn, Matthews, Moore, Morrison, Osienski, Ramone, Shupe, M.Smith	Passed 39-0-2. Baumbach, Bennett, Bentz, Bolden, Brady, Bush, Carson, Chukwuocha Cooke, Dorsey Walker, Griffith, Heffernan, K.Johnson, K.Williams, Kowalk, Lambert, Longhurst, Lynn, Matthews, Mitchell, Morrison, Osienski, S.Moore, Schwartzkopf, Briggs King, Collins, D.Short, Dukes, Gray, Hensley, M.Smith, Morris, Postles, Ramone, Shupe, Smyk, Spiegelman, Vanderwende, Yearick	Minor-Brown (Absent), Wilson-Anton (Absent)
Current Status	Sent to the Governor for his signature or veto