AGP Executive Report

School Policy: Cape Henlopen school board moved toward a Delaware-required cellphone policy, keeping elementary/middle students’ phones stored all day and limiting high school use to breakfast/lunch, with exceptions for medical, accommodations, language access, emergencies, and approved instructional needs. Consumer Protection: Delaware’s effort to regulate cryptocurrency kiosks stalled after a bill passed the House but died in a Senate committee, leaving seniors exposed to scam kiosks that push cash-to-crypto deposits. Port Governance: A new lawsuit challenges the Delaware River and Bay Lighthouse?—no, the Edgemoor Port expansion—targeting Delaware Port Corporation and Enstructure, arguing transfer/privatization deals were “void” without required General Assembly approval. Courts & Accountability: Delaware Superior Court is now the venue for a lawsuit by families of four teens who died by suicide, suing Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube over alleged addictive design and harms. Public Safety & Corrections: Delaware DOC is taking applications for its free Fall 2026 Citizens Academy, and Delaware State Police charged two Maryland residents in connection with an organized retail theft spree and an attempted robbery. Environment: DNREC reports red knot numbers improving along Delaware Bay, with Delaware counts rising at key horseshoe crab spawning sites.

Social Media Lawsuit in Delaware: Families of four teens who died by suicide filed suit in Delaware Superior Court against Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube, alleging “years of escalating harms” tied to addiction, sleep deprivation and mental health impacts. Corporate Governance Watch: Delaware Court of Chancery guidance highlights that boards setting their own pay face heightened scrutiny, with a recent ruling allowing a shareholder challenge to director compensation to proceed. Delaware Business & Jobs: Delaware’s Office of Small Business Access launched as a single state contact point for entrepreneurs, while Delaware Paid Leave reported $7.6M in benefits paid in its first six months. Public Safety & Justice: Dover residents are rattled after four shootings in three days, and Delaware State Police charged two Maryland residents in connection with multiple retail thefts and an attempted robbery. Health Care Fight (National, with Delaware AGs): Delaware Attorney General Nick Brown joined a coalition suing to block a federal rule that would expand catastrophic plans and weaken Affordable Care Act protections. Courts & Bankruptcy: Delaware Supreme Court reversed a Chancery decision in an asbestos-records dispute, and a Boy Scouts claimant asked a bankruptcy judge to reinstate an abuse claim. Drug Enforcement: A Wilmington man faces federal charges after prosecutors say fentanyl was found in a storage unit. Tech/Policy: DOJ issued a notice saying Olmstead integration guidance is “unenforceable,” adding to the national debate over disability rights enforcement.

Dover Public Safety: Residents are demanding answers after four shootings in three days across the city, with Dover Police and Delaware State Police investigating and community members saying the violence feels widespread and unpredictable. Social Media Lawsuits: Families of four teens who died by suicide filed suit in Delaware against Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube, alleging years of escalating harms tied to addiction, sleep deprivation and mental health impacts. Medicaid Work Rules: A federal judge denied Democratic-led states’ bid to pause new Medicaid work requirements, setting a Jan. 1 implementation deadline and keeping the fight over “medically frail” exemptions alive. Delaware Elections & Accountability: Delaware’s newest statewide inspector general role is moving forward, with an application window set to open Aug. 3 after an advisory commission finalized the process. Local Governance & Housing: Sussex County officials warned Senate Bill 23’s affordable-housing requirements are forcing pending land-use applications to be withdrawn and will require outside help to build a new framework. State Services: The Department of Education launched “Explore Delaware Schools,” a single portal for school boundaries, profiles and performance info.

Delaware Courts & Politics: A Delaware vice chancellor dismissed a stockholder bid to block MPower Financing’s “highly dilutive” borrowing, ruling Delaware’s statutory safe harbor protects the deal—another reminder that Delaware corporate law can heavily shape outcomes in high-stakes financing fights. Public Safety & Civil Rights: Rehoboth Beach released an independent review of its May “takeover” response, finding no evidence of police misconduct or racial motivation and describing officers as generally restrained while managing a crowd that grew to 500–800. Statehouse & Campaigns: Attorney General Kathy Jennings is set to speak at the 14th Representative District Democrats’ Aug. 10 meeting, where she’ll discuss her re-election bid and defending Delaware and its constitution. Business & Delaware’s Role in the World: A Kyiv drone-factory strike was reported as hitting a facility owned by a Delaware-registered company, Terminal Autonomy—raising fresh questions about Delaware entities tied to defense tech. Community Events: The Delaware Resorts 2026 Fall Home Expo returns Sept. 19–20 at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes. Food Safety: Lidl recalled Eridanous shortbread cookies sold in Delaware and other states after allergen labeling appeared only in foreign language, leaving wheat, soy, milk, and egg undeclared in English.

Police Accountability: A city-commissioned review found no misconduct or racial motivation by Rehoboth Beach police during the May 19 “takeover” response, after examining body-cam and other records tied to citations and felony charges later dismissed. State Politics: Delaware AG Kathy Jennings will speak at the Aug. 10 meeting of the 14th RD Democrats, laying out her re-election case and her record of court fights. Courts & Governance: Delaware Chancery is weighing default and possible sanctions in an advancement dispute involving entities tied to a Bahamas medical school, after alleged discovery obstruction. Public Safety: Delaware State Police arrested a Magnolia man, 67, for an armed Dover Valero robbery, charging robbery and weapon-related counts. Health & Community: Sussex County is set to place four school-based health centers in middle schools, with Nemours, TidalHealth, and Beebe Healthcare operating sites. Environment & Energy: Nautilus Solar and TurningPoint Energy brought a 4-MW community solar project online in Dover, including power for low-income households. Foodborne Disease Watch: CDC says Cyclospora has been reported in 45 states, with Delaware now included. Legal/Immigration: A Mass of Solidarity in Maryland highlighted Haitian immigrants’ anxiety as TPS status faces an end.

Public Trust & Policing: Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced a suspended Delaware State Police trooper, Thomas Catalfamo, was indicted on four counts of official misconduct tied to alleged sexual contact with a 21-year-old woman in a mental health crisis, including claims he concealed activity by tampering with his body-worn and vehicle recording systems. Coastal Resilience: DNREC opened registration for a Sept. 22-23 Lewes training on living shorelines, covering shoreline science, construction techniques, and Delaware’s permitting process. Election Integrity: A Delaware election officer’s op-ed argues precinct-level procedures can be targeted and asks whether polling places are “rigging elections,” while a separate national report warns prediction markets could erode confidence in outcomes. Consumer Protection & Telecom: A coalition of attorneys general urged the FCC to strengthen “Know Your Customer” rules to curb illegal robocalls, pushing providers to vet both identity and business practices. Workplace Safety: The Delaware Safety Council launched a bilingual (English/Spanish) online workplace safety training platform ahead of OSHA’s Safe + Sound Week. Animal Welfare: Gov. Matt Meyer signed bills limiting retail pet sales, increasing penalties for repeat animal cruelty, and requiring veterinarians to report suspected cruelty. Education & Workforce: Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Sen. Roger Marshall introduced the RESULTS Act to modernize federal education-to-workforce data systems for the AI era. Health Watch: CDC estimates COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in Delaware and 36 other states.

Delaware Court Fight: Delaware Superior Court refused to toss a lawsuit accusing Aterian Investment Partners of draining millions from P.J. Mechanical to dodge earnout payments, keeping the founders’ claims alive. Public Safety & Accountability: A suspended Delaware State Police trooper was indicted on official misconduct charges tied to alleged sexual contact during a mental health crisis call and alleged tampering with body-worn camera systems. Consumer Protection: AG Kathy Jennings reached a proposed settlement with Aptive Environmental over door-to-door pest tactics; the state seeks court approval for a $600,000 payment and practice changes. Education Access: Gov. Matt Meyer announced funding for four new school-based health centers in Sussex County, expanding preventive, primary, and behavioral services. Arts Funding: Delaware Division of the Arts awarded $5.06M in FY2027 grants across all three counties. Animal Welfare Law: Meyer signed bills tightening retail pet sales rules, boosting penalties for repeat animal cruelty, and requiring veterinarians to report suspected cruelty. State Policy Watch: Meyer also signed a law regulating and taxing hemp THC drinks, including a 21+ age limit and potency caps.

Israel-Democrats Rift: A Reuters report says Democratic support for Israel is eroding as Gaza and the Iran war drag on, with more Democrats backing limits or cuts to aid—an issue that directly touches Delaware Sen. Chris Coons. Labor & Courts: A Port of Wilmington longshore hiring-hall retaliation case is headed to a federal appeals court in Philadelphia after a judge sided with worker Stanford Fowler against union leader Bill Ashe. Delaware Paid Leave: Delaware’s program has paid 1,760 claims and $7.6M in benefits in its first six months, with parental leave the biggest share. Sussex County Finance: Sussex County again earns the GFOA “Triple Crown” for financial reporting, budget presentation, and popular annual reporting. Housing Implementation: Sussex County discusses how new Senate Bill 23’s affordable-housing pilot is affecting local zoning and planning hearings. Public Safety/Community: A hate-crime case involving Millville volunteer firefighters concludes with convictions and sentencing. Delaware Tech/Science: UD researchers are using animal-borne tags to turn sharks into mobile ocean sensors. National AG Action: Delaware’s AG is part of a broader push urging stronger federal “Know Your Customer” rules to curb illegal robocalls.

Delaware Governance & Courts: The Delaware Chancery Court refused to send a fiduciary-duty dispute involving LG and its U.S. subsidiary to arbitration, keeping the investor derivative case in Delaware. Public Health Leadership: Gov. Matt Meyer signed an executive order creating Delaware’s Office of the Surgeon General and appointed Dr. Neil Hockstein as the state’s first surgeon general. Local Government & Land Use: Sussex County Council will discuss the impact of SB 23, including changes to how “projects by right” get handled, plus hearings on a coin retail shop and multiple solar projects. Community & Education: UD’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is hosting open houses in Lewes, Wilmington, Ocean View, and Dover ahead of its fall semester. Consumer Protection & Tech Policy: A multistate push is urging the FCC to strengthen “Know Your Customer” rules to curb illegal robocalls. Environment & PFAS: An Earthjustice-led coalition urged EPA to reject Chemours’ fast-track PFAS approval for data center cooling. Public Safety: Delaware County Sheriff’s Office announced arrests tied to serious driving and threat allegations, including racist threatening voicemails for Sheriff Siddiq Kamara.

Newark Traffic Enforcement: Newark’s electronic speed camera on Capitol Trail is averaging about 1,500 citations a day—roughly one violation a minute—after moving from Hillside Road, with fines starting at $31 for minimum over-limit cases. Courts & Public Safety: Delaware Capitol Police arrested Dover’s Tyreen Williams, a Tier 2 sex offender, charging him with second-degree rape and a privacy violation tied to an alleged assault in the Kent County Courthouse courtyard. Gun Violence Push: End Community Violence Now is urging Gov. Matt Meyer and lawmakers to call a special session, saying Delaware’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety isn’t funded enough as shootings involving minors nearly doubled year over year. School Funding Pressure: Delaware Estate residents are organizing over stretched school budgets, warning children with special education needs are losing support. Federal Policy Fight: Delaware AG Kathy Jennings is part of a coalition suing over an EPA rule that would weaken protections tied to phasing down potent HFC refrigerants. Business & Governance: A Delaware judge tossed a stockholder challenge to Envestnet’s $4.5B take-private deal with Bain affiliates, finding the vote was fully informed. Health & Access: New Castle County school districts say property-tax rate decisions may be delayed as reassessment “quality control” reviews run, potentially affecting special-education costs.

Delaware Climate Fight: AG Kathy Jennings is part of a 19-attorney general coalition suing the Trump EPA over a rule that would roll back deadlines to phase down hydrofluorocarbons, which the states say are up to 10,000 times more potent than CO2 and would worsen Delaware’s sea level rise and flooding. Voting Rights Clash: A federal appeals court denied the Trump administration’s bid to restart a plan restricting vote-by-mail, saying the Constitution leaves election administration to states, not the president. Federal Funding Pressure: Delaware’s neighbors are also in court over FEMA/DHS conditions—North Carolina AG Jeff Jackson sued over threats to withhold counterterrorism and disaster money tied to unrelated demands. Public Safety—Heat: Savannah opened cooling centers as a heat advisory pushes heat indexes near 110. Public Safety—Scams: A “sheriff’s warrant” phone scam hit Haverford residents, costing at least one victim $17,000. Health Watch: Measles cases hit a 35-year high, with most cases among unvaccinated people. Delaware Courts & Tech: A Delaware Superior Court judge let Robby Starbuck’s defamation case against Google over AI chatbot claims move forward.

Delaware Health Policy: Gov. Matt Meyer signed three bills aimed at lowering healthcare costs, expanding access, and protecting Delaware hospitals from private equity ownership, including a permanent primary-care spending requirement for insurers and higher statewide charity-care thresholds. Delaware Courts/Business: The Delaware Supreme Court reinstated Elon Musk’s 2018 Tesla compensation package, reversing a lower-court invalidation and boosting its estimated value to as much as $139B—another reminder of Delaware’s outsized role in corporate governance. Election Integrity Fight: A First Circuit ruling left in place a block on key Trump election-integrity steps in 23 states and D.C., including limits tied to federal citizenship lists and mail-ballot rules. National Security at Dover: Trump attended a Dover Air Force Base dignified transfer for four troops killed in the Iran conflict, with Sen. Chris Coons and Sen. Thom Tillis among those present. Corporate Capital/Delaware Franchise: A Delaware “Civics 101” series highlights how the state’s corporate franchise industry and long-running legal precedent drive revenue and business formation. Public Safety: Delaware County Sheriff Siddiq Kamara faced a racist, Islamophobic threat that triggered a criminal investigation. Health Alerts: CDC reports measles cases at a 35-year high, with Delaware among states seeing outbreaks.

Election Integrity Fight: A First Circuit panel kept an injunction blocking parts of Trump’s election-integrity order in 23 states and D.C., including limits on DHS citizenship-list sharing and USPS mail-ballot changes—setting up a possible Supreme Court scramble. Delaware Politics & Governance: Sussex County pulled two major subdivision applications after Delaware’s new affordable housing law shifted approvals “by-right,” raising questions about local control. Courts & Delaware Law: Delaware Chancery clarified limits on the implied covenant, warning parties not to use contractual gaps to “intentionally harm” the other side. Public Safety & Health: Delaware reported a second measles case in more than a decade, with contact tracing underway; separately, the national cyclospora outbreak continues to puzzle health officials. Local Delaware Community: Milford Public Library will host a Civil War-era Delaware politics program Aug. 8. Threats Against Officials: Delaware County Sheriff Siddiq Kamara faced a racist, Islamophobic voicemail threat, prompting a criminal investigation.

Election Integrity Fight: A First Circuit panel kept in place an injunction blocking parts of Trump’s election-integrity executive order in 23 states and D.C., including limits tied to citizenship lists and mail-ballot rules, as the administration weighs next steps. Delaware Courts & Governance: Delaware Chancery clarified limits around implied covenant claims, underscoring how contract “gaps” can’t be used to intentionally harm a counterparty. Reproductive Rights in the Courts: AG Jay Jones joined an amicus brief backing continued access to mifepristone in the Fifth Circuit case, arguing FDA changes were grounded in science and that reinstating barriers would hurt patients. Delaware Housing Policy: Sussex County pulled major subdivision land-use applications after Delaware’s new affordable housing law expanded “by-right” approvals, raising questions about local control. Delaware Politics & History: Milford Public Library and Milford Museum will host a Civil War-era Delaware politics program Aug. 8. Public Safety & Community: Delaware County Sheriff Siddiq Kamara was targeted by a racist, Islamophobic threat voicemail; investigators are tracing it. Energy & Federal Grants: The Trump administration acknowledged canceling $7.6B in clean-energy grants based solely on whether states voted for Kamala Harris, drawing fresh backlash.

Delaware Politics & Courts: Delaware County Sheriff Siddiq Kamara is the target of a racist, Islamophobic threat left on an anonymous voicemail, and investigators are tracing the message. State Housing & Land Use: Sussex County pulled two residential land use applications from review after Delaware’s new affordable housing law shifted approvals toward “by-right” pathways. Health Policy & Public Safety: Delaware lawmakers signed bills to lower health care costs, and Delaware health officials confirmed a second measles case in more than a decade, bringing the total to five with contact tracing underway. Business & Delaware Industry: Printed Solid, the Delaware filament maker acquired by Prusa Research, has rebranded as Prusa USA while keeping Delaware production for printers and filament. Delaware Legal/Corporate Governance: Delaware Chancery clarified limits around the implied covenant in a dispute involving third-party consent efforts. National Policy With Delaware Stakes: The Trump administration admitted in court filings it canceled $7.6B in clean energy grants based on the political identity of recipient states; separate lawsuits challenge FEMA/DHS disaster funding conditions tied to election and immigration rules.

U.S.-Iran War Fallout: Trump says the U.S. is “locked and loaded” for a possible “massive attack” as the Pentagon’s Iran-war casualty count drops from 18 to 14, with officials blaming “temporary data disruptions.” Delaware Courts & Tech: A Delaware Superior Court judge let conservative activist Robby Starbuck’s defamation case against Google over AI “hallucinations” move into discovery, rejecting Google’s dismissal push. Delaware Government & Business: The Delaware Division of Small Business launched the Office of Small Business Access, a single contact point for licensing, permitting, and regulatory help. Environment & Land Use: Gov. Matt Meyer signed Delaware’s Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act, creating a statewide permitting framework after federal protections narrowed. Public Safety Funding Fight: Multiple states, including Oregon, sued to block FEMA/DHS from tying disaster and counterterrorism grants to election and immigration requirements. Local Accountability: Rehoboth Beach officials are set to receive an independent report on the May 19 beach takeover response, with a special commissioner meeting scheduled July 30. Health Watch: Measles cases hit a 35-year high nationwide, with most cases among unvaccinated people.