Delaware makes damaging emergency vehicles a class F felony for losses over $5,000

Original title: AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO CRIMINAL MISCHIEF.

Last action · September 14, 2026: Signed by GovernorSponsors: Dave Wilson and 12 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

What This Bill Does

Delaware elevates criminal mischief to a when an individual intentionally damages an , causing $5,000 or more in financial loss or temporarily halting its ability to respond to emergencies.

Why it matters

Increases criminal penalties for property damage involving public safety fleet vehicles, creating harsher felony charges for offenders who impair emergency response capabilities.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Individuals committing property damage

Offenders face elevated class F felony charges and heavier penalties for intentionally damaging authorized emergency vehicles under specified loss or disruption conditions.

Directly affected

Emergency service agencies

Agencies operating authorized emergency vehicles receive statutory protection intended to deter vandalism and fleet disruption.

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 triggers a class F felony under this law?

Intentionally damaging an results in a if the damage causes a of $5,000 or more, or makes the vehicle temporarily unable to respond to emergencies.

Does the law make any other changes besides penalty increases?

Yes, it makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

11 actions

Sep 14, 2026Office of the GovernorEnrolled
Signed by Governor
Jul 1, 2026SenateFloor
Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
Jul 1, 2026Senate
Suspension of Rules in Senate
Jul 1, 2026HouseFloor
Passed By House. Votes: 32 YES 9 NO
Jul 1, 2026HouseCommittee
Amendment HA 1 to SB 232 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
Jun 16, 2026SenateCommittee
Amendment HA 1 to SB 232 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

Show 5 earlier actions

Apr 22, 2026HouseCommittee
Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 5 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits, 1 Unfavorable
Apr 9, 2026HouseIntroduced
Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House
Mar 26, 2026SenateFloor
Passed By Senate. Votes: 17 YES 3 NO 1 ABSENT
Mar 11, 2026SenateCommittee
Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits
Jan 28, 2026SenateIntroduced
Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate

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 →