HB 419 DE

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Became Law

Citing the increasing number of false confessions recorded by the National Registry of Exonerations and recent science around adolescent brain development, several states across the nation have passed legislation to ban the use of deceptive interrogation techniques on juveniles. Deceptive tactics is limited to the knowing use of misleading statements about evidence or communications of false promises of leniency to extract a confession or other incriminating evidence from a youth suspected of breaking the law. To date, Delaware has yet to have a wrongful conviction case involving a false confession but according to groups such as the Innocence Project, wrongful convictions can often take decades to be revealed. Three other states, Illinois, Utah and Oregon, have passed similar legislation. Additional states, including Colorado and California, are currently considering similar legislation. This Act mirrors efforts in other states by prohibiting the knowing use of false statements about evidence, or false or misleading promises of leniency during custodial interrogations of persons under the age of 18. Any statement elicited from a person in violation of this section is inadmissible in any subsequent juvenile delinquency or criminal court proceeding.

• Melissa Minor-Brown Democratic · primary
• Marie Pinkney Democratic · primary
• Sherry Dorsey Walker · primary
• Debra Heffernan Democratic · primary

1. May 10, 2022 Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House · lower
2. May 17, 2022 Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 2 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits · lower
3. Jun 15, 2022 Amendment HA 1 to HB 419 - Introduced and Placed With Bill · lower
4. Jun 16, 2022 Amendment HA 1 to HB 419 - Passed In House by Voice Vote · lower
5. Jun 16, 2022 Passed By House. Votes: 34 YES 7 NO · lower
6. Jun 16, 2022 Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate · upper
7. Jun 22, 2022 Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits · upper
8. Jun 28, 2022 Passed By Senate. Votes: 14 YES 6 NO 1 NOT VOTING · upper
9. Oct 10, 2022 Signed by Governor · executive