SB 255 DE
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TINTING OF MOTOR VEHICLE WINDSHIELD, WINDOWS, OR SIDE WINGS.
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Summary
This bill revises Delaware's window tinting standards for motor vehicles. It lowers the minimum visible light transmission requirement for front side windows and side wings from the current 70% to 50%, allowing darker tinting on those windows. The bill clarifies that windows behind the driver and rear windows have no light transmission requirement. Law enforcement vehicles are exempted from these tinting rules, and the medical necessity exception for front windows remains available.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill (from the OpenStates abstract — no full text available yet) — neutral, and may be imperfect.
Official abstract
Currently, window tint or other material placed on the front side windows of a motor vehicle must have a visible light transmission of 70% or greater unless the vehicle’s owner has a statement signed by a licensed practitioner of medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine or optometry verifying that tinted windows are medically necessary. Currently, there is not a visible light transmission requirement for the side windows behind the driver or the rear window. This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 255. Like Senate Bill No. 255, this Act does all of the following: (1) Changes the visible light transmission requirement for window tint or other material placed on the front side windows. (2) Clarifies that there is not a visible light transmission requirement for the side windows behind the driver or the rear window. (3) Clarifies the exception for vehicles operated by a law-enforcement officer by exempting these vehicles from this law. This Act differs from Senate Bill No. 255 by changing the visible requirement for window tint or other material placed on the front side windows, and side wings, from 35% or great to 50% or greater.
Sponsors (8)
- Eric Buckson Republican · primary
- Lyndon D. Yearick Republican · primary
- Claire Snyder-Hall Democratic · primary
- Marie Pinkney Democratic · primary
- David L. Wilson Republican · primary
- Franklin D. Cooke Democratic · primary
- Ronald E. Gray Republican · primary
- Daniel B. Short Republican · primary
Action history (6)
- May 7, 2026 Adopted in lieu of the original bill SB 255, and Assigned to Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee in Senate · upper
- May 20, 2026 Reported Out of Committee (Environment, Energy & Transportation) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 3 On Its Merits · upper
- May 21, 2026 Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT · upper
- Jun 4, 2026 Assigned to Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee in House · lower
- Jun 16, 2026 Reported Out of Committee (Public Safety & Homeland Security) in House with 7 On Its Merits · lower
- Jul 1, 2026 Passed By House. Votes: 38 YES 2 NO 1 ABSENT · lower
Full text
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