Bill Text: DE HB358 | 2025-2026 | 153rd General Assembly | Draft

Delaware House Bill 358

Bill Title: An Act To Amend Title 14 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Student Elopement From School.

Sponsorship: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-1)

Status: (Engrossed) 2026-06-11 - Assigned to Education Committee in Senate [HB358 Detail]

Download: Delaware-2025-HB358-Draft.html

SPONSOR:	Rep. Heffernan & Sen. Sturgeon
Reps. Berry, Burns, Griffith, K. Johnson, Morrison, Snyder-Hall; Sens. Hansen, Wilson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1

FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 358

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 14 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO STUDENT ELOPEMENT FROM SCHOOL.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend Subchapter II, Chapter 31, Title 14 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 3114. Student Elopement from School.

(a) For the purposes of this section:

(1) “Elopement” means any of the following:

a. When a student, without the permission or supervision of a school staff member, leaves the school campus.

b. When a student, without permission, leaves the supervision of a school staff member on a school field trip or school organized community site visit.

(2) “School campus” means the buildings, playgrounds, and grounds of a school. This includes all State district preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.

(b) The school must notify a student’s parent or guardian when a student attempts or accomplishes an elopement. The student’s parent or guardian must be notified of the elopement on the same day that the elopement incident occurs.

Section 2. This Act takes effect on July 1 following its enactment into law.

SYNOPSIS

This Act provides guidelines for Delaware schools in addressing elopement of students. This Act requires schools to notify the eloping student’s parent or guardian the same day as the elopement incident. All schools must develop policies and procedures to implement the requirements of this Act.