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Read. Follow. Verify.Delaware General Assembly Establishes Crime Victim-Advocate Privilege
Last action · September 14, 2026: Signed by GovernorSponsors: Krista Griffith and 16 others
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What This Bill Does
Victims of crime are now allowed to keep confidential communications with their victim advocates private or waive the using a signed waiver.
Evidentiary rules in legal proceedings now shield victim-advocate communications from disclosure, with specific legal exceptions for child abuse reporting, intended violent crimes, and criminal defense requests.
- House Bill 213 amends Title 10 of the Delaware Code concerning evidence and witnesses to introduce statutory protections for victim communications. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
crime victims
Victims gain a legal privilege protecting their confidential communications with victim advocates from disclosure.
victim advocates
Advocates are subject to statutory definitions requiring 20 hours of training and gain the authority to claim confidentiality on behalf of victims.
defendants in criminal cases
Defendants are subject to new legal hurdles when seeking access to victim-advocate communications, subject to specific statutory exceptions.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What training is required to be recognized as a victim advocate under this law?
Can a criminal defendant ever access these confidential communications?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
6 actions- Sep 14, 2026Office of the GovernorEnrolledSigned by Governor
- Jun 23, 2026SenateFloorPassed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
- May 6, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 4 On Its Merits
- Mar 17, 2026SenateIntroducedAssigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
- Mar 17, 2026HouseFloorPassed By House. Votes: 39 YES 2 ABSENT
- Mar 12, 2026HouseIntroducedwas introduced and adopted in lieu of HB 213
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Voting Record
2/3
Total
21
- Yes
- 21
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (21)
Show 1 earlier roll call
SM
Total
39
- Yes
- 39
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (39)
15 more members
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 12 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Evidentiary Privileges
The measure aligns victim-advocate communications with established professional secrecy rules like the therapist-client privilege.
Connected Entities
Sources
legis.delaware.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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