2024 VoteDelaware Questionnaire Responses: Senator Stephanie Hansen

1. A recent independent report commissioned by the State of Delaware found that public schools across the state are underfunded by $600 million dollars and recommended increased per-pupil funding, transparency, and the flexibility to allocate resources. If elected what concrete steps would you propose to take to ensure districts close the funding deficit to provide a constitutionally adequate education?

I am not an expert in education, and do not have any independent proposals; however, the people that we have entrusted to serve in organizations such as the Wilmington Learning Collaborative and the Redding Consortium have spent many decades passionately advocating for our children and more equitable funding. I will be listening carefully to their recommendations.  However, more money doesn't necessarily equal better outcomes.  It depends on identifying the source of the current and historical failings, and spending our funding (and changing our practices) to bring about change.  I was present in the Senate Chamber when the independent report cited in this question was presented in March 2024 and I asked questions that have not yet been addressed to my satisfaction. The graphs presented show that our educational system began a decline in math and reading scores in 2013 and they have never recovered.  In fact, their continued decline is astounding and alarming. The cause of that decline has not been explained. New Jersey is shown in the report to already be spending the amount per student that is recommended for Delaware, but their scores have also precipitously declined since around 2017.  Something else is going on.  We have to tie spending to the right policies and identify and move away from those policies that have led us to where we are today. 

2. The Education Equity Ombudsperson program was codified into law last year without guaranteed continuing funding to ensure that the program is sustainable.  Will you support legislation to maintain the current annual funding of $1 million to support students statewide facing inequitable treatment? 

YES
Codifying the Education Equity Ombudsperson was the right thing to do.  Since it is a new position, the results of the office should be reviewed periodically to make sure that it is functioning in the way it was intended. So long as it is effective, it should continue to be funded.  Every dollar in our education system counts. 

3. There are currently an estimated 5,000 undocumented children in Delaware living without access to basic healthcare services. This past session, the General Assembly failed to pass the “Cover All Children Act” which would have been a critical first step in developing a medical coverage program for children in Delaware who are not otherwise covered, including kids who are undocumented. Will you support legislation like the “Cover All Children Act” that ensures undocumented children are protected and cared for?  

YES

4. Over the past few decades, many immigrants have chosen to make Delaware their home and have become vital members of our communities. Will you support increasing translation and interpretation services in government agency buildings and in public schools to help immigrants navigate the systems we all use? 

YES

5. Currently, agricultural and domestic workers are exempt from state labor protections which means that workers in those fields, many of whom are immigrants and work dangerous jobs, are left with few ways to protect themselves. Will you support the removal of this exemption, so that all workers, regardless of their job, have the same protections? 

YES

6. In 2017, Delaware codified the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in state law to ensure the right to an abortion remained protected. However, these protections could be removed through a simple majority vote and signature of the Governor. Will you support a state constitutional amendment to explicitly protect peoples’ access to reproductive healthcare?

YES

7. Black maternal mortality rates continue to increase in Delaware, with the gap in healthcare disparities widening. Will you support the creation of a Reproductive Healthcare Equity Fund that would support the additional costs of accessing reproductive healthcare for uninsured or underinsured people and fund the recruitment and expansion of the number of healthcare providers, including doula providers, in the state? 

YES
As with any new program, though, we would need to look carefully at the cost of the program and the source of the funding.  

8. Delaware’s probation system is broken. It does not provide the resources and support needed for successful reentry, while allowing for overly harsh punishment for minor infractions. Will you support legislation tailoring probation conditions to the needs and circumstances of the individual and restricting the use of incarceration when no new crime has been committed?  

YES
Successfully navigating the probation system can be daunting and I am aware of a number of instances where it has been overly harsh and complicated. 

But in tailoring the solutions, it is important to involve all parties with an interest in the criminal justice system (justice-involved persons, victims and victim advocates, DOC, law enforcement, and others) in a common discussion in order to develop appropriate steps going forward. 

9. Access to record expungement should not be determined by an individual’s economic circumstances. Will you support legislation removing fines and fees as a barrier to expungement eligibility? 

YES

10. It is well documented that older incarcerated adults are less likely to commit new crimes if released. Will you support legislation that would expand compassionate release for older incarcerated adults? 

YES
I responded "yes" to this question as a generality. However, I believe there are circumstances that warrant continued incarceration, whether it's the severity of the crime that resulted in incarceration, the proclivity of the incarcerated individual to reoffend, or some other circumstance. This is a new area of discussion for me, so I would need to know a lot more about the parameters of any legislation.

11. The Delaware Supreme Court recently upheld Delaware’s early in-person and permanent absentee voting laws, but the laws remain vulnerable to future legal challenges. Will you support protecting early in-person and permanent absentee voting through a constitutional amendment? 

YES

12. As of 2022, felony disenfranchisement affected 7,721 voters in Delaware. 2,965 of these people were disenfranchised while on probation or parole and 1,360 were disenfranchised even though they were not incarcerated or on probation or parole. . Voting allows people to remain connected to their communities and helps facilitate the re-entry process. Will you support a constitutional amendment allowing all people to vote as soon as they leave prison? 

NO
The information presented highlights the disenfranchisement of people on probation or parole, and those disenfranchised even though they were neither incarcerated nor on probation or parole.  However, the question asks whether "all people" should be allowed to vote as soon as they leave prison.  I would need to know more about this issue and understand the distinctions being made.  For instance, I would not be in favor of allowing sex offenders, and perhaps others convicted of certain violent crimes, to immediately vote upon their release. 

13. Will you support a constitutional amendment allowing for same-day voter registration? 

YES

14. Will you support a constitutional amendment allowing for no-excuse absentee voting? 

YES