Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateDelawareEnacted
HB 414: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO POSSESSING A DESTRUCTIVE WEAPON.
Cyndie Romer
HB 414 status: Enacted — Signed by Governor (updated Sep 3, 2026).
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
Low
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
70OUT OF 100
Score:70/100 civic fit
Risk:Low Risk
Impact:Moderate Impact 40/100
Constitutionality90%
Bipartisan70%
Public opinion50%
Bill summary
What changes
The bill clarifies that Superior Court exclusive jurisdiction regarding weapon possession (11 Del C. § 1444) only applies to adults, ensuring minors remain under the jurisdiction of the Family Court.
Who is affected
Juvenile defendants, judicial officers in the Superior and Family Courts, and the state legal system.
Requirements and enforcement
The judicial system must route cases involving minors under 11 Del. C. § 1444 to Family Court instead of Superior Court.
Costs and funding
Not stated in the available source, though likely administrative and negligible.
When it takes effect
Effective upon enactment; signed by the Governor on September 3, 2026.
Potential benefits
Clarifies legal procedure, preserves the rehabilitative purpose of the Family Court for minors, and prevents minors from being subject to Superior Court processes.
Risks and tradeoffs
Potential for jurisdictional ambiguity in contested cases and potential for inconsistent public safety outcomes depending on court-ordered interventions.
What is still unknown
Impact on overall caseloads in the Family Court and the frequency of challenges to this jurisdictional boundary.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Society
Positive outlook
70%
Benefits
- Maintains rehabilitative focus for juveniles
- Protects minors from adult criminal justice settings
- Ensures age-appropriate legal proceedings
Risks
- Risk of jurisdictional disputes in complex cases
- Potential complexity in certification hearings
- Divergence in liability exposure compared to adults
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
Positive outlook
75%
Benefits
- Clarifies statutory language regarding court authority
- Prevents jurisdictional ambiguity in legal proceedings
- Reinforces the specific mandate of the Family Court
Risks
- Potential for litigation regarding jurisdictional interpretation
- Reliance on future judicial discretion in contested cases
- Lack of granular public data on current juvenile charging trends
Public Health & Safety
Positive outlook
65%
Benefits
- Reduces exposure of minors to adult criminal environments
- Promotes child welfare in justice interventions
- Supports specialized handling of juvenile delinquent behavior
Risks
- Challenges in assessing threats from minors with weapons
- Potential perceived leniency in public safety enforcement
- Dependency on court-ordered rehabilitation effectiveness
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
OpenStates
Official bill text or data from OpenStates.
Confidence
Low
Information is limited or incomplete.
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
Reliance on judicial interpretation for determining jurisdiction in complex weapon-possession cases involving minors.
Analysis scope
Source provided is an abstract; full legislative text unavailable.
04
Where it stands
Official recordSigned by Governor
- IntroducedComplete
- CommitteeComplete
- Chamber votesComplete
- Final agreementComplete
- GovernorComplete
- EnactedComplete
05
How it affects your district
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06
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