Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 159

FORMERLY

SENATE BILL NO. 156

AS AMENDED BY HOUSE AMENDMENT NO. 1

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE CREATING A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COORDINATING COUNCIL.

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

Section 1. Amend Title 13 of the Delaware Code, by adding a new Chapter, designated as Chapter 21, which new Chapter shall read as follows:

"CHAPTER 21. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COORDINATING COUNCIL. §2101. Creation.

The General Assembly hereby creates a permanent Domestic Violence Coordinating Council.

§2102. Composition.

The Council shall consist of 11 members as follows:

(1) The Chief Judge of the Family Court;

(2) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(3) One member of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;

(4) The Attorney General;

(5) The Public Defender;

(6) A Cabinet level official designated by the Governor;

(7) A representative of the Law Enforcement Community appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety;

(8) The Chairperson of the Domestic Violence Task Force of the Delaware Commission for Women;

(9) A board certified family-practice physician licensed to practice in this State, appointed by the Board of Medical Practice;

(1) An at-large member representing the advocacy community appointed by the Commission on Family Law; and

(2) An at-large member elected by the Council members at the first meeting of each calendar year;

§2103. Purpose; powers; duties. The Council shall:

(1) Continuously study Court services and procedures, Law Enforcement procedures and protocol, and criminal justice data collection and analysis as it relates to domestic violence;

(1) Effectuate coordination between agencies, departments and the courts with victims of domestic violence and abuse;

(1) Promote effective prevention, intervention and treatment techniques which will be developed based upon research and data collection;

(1) Recommend standards for treatment programs for perpetrators of domestic violence to the Department of Health and Social Services,

Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families, Department of Correction;

(5) Review and comment upon legislation relating to domestic violence introduced in the General Assembly at the request of any member of the General Assembly or on its own initiative; and

(6) Improve the response to domestic violence and abuse so as to reduce the incidents thereof.

§2104. Meetings; quorum; officers; committees; procedure.

(a) The Council shall meet at least 4 times per year. Six members shall constitute a quorum.

(b) The Chairperson shall have the duty to convene and preside over meetings of the Council and prepare an agenda for meetings.

(c) The Chief Judge of the Family Court shall convene the initial meeting of the Council.

(d) At the initial meeting of the Council a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall be elected by the Council members. Thereafter, in
December of each year, the Council shall elect a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson. The Vice-Chairperson's duty shall be to act as
chairperson in the absence of the Chairperson.

(e) The Council shall establish committees composed of Council members and other knowledgeable individuals, as it deems advisable, to assist in planning, policy, goal and priority recommendations, and developing implementation plans to achieve the purposes of the Council.

(f) The Council shall promulgate rules of procedure governing its operations, provided that they are in accordance with Chapters 100 and 101 of Title 29, and provided that no rule shall permit proxy voting.

(a) The Council shall submit a written report of its activities and recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at least once every year on or before March 15."

Section 2. Effective date. This Act shall take effect upon its enactment.

Approved July 16, 1993.