Merit Institute Merit

The Delaware Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (DE-ACSA)

Delaware state companion to ACSA. Extends licensure recognition under Del. Code Title 24, the Delaware Department of Education / Delaware Workforce Development Board, and Del. Code Title 30 credits, with labor-protective worker provisions.

THE DELAWARE WORKER-MERIT CREDENTIALING ACT (DE-ACSA)

Vehicle: State passage. Delaware General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Labor / Education / Finance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Delaware Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (DE-ACSA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Delaware occupational licensure operates under Del. Code Title 24; that the Delaware Higher Education Office operates under Del. Code Title 14 Chapter 34; that the Delaware Workforce Development Board operates under Del. Code Title 29 Chapter 85; that Del. Code Title 30 authorizes tax credits; and that Del. Code Title 19 provides labor protections. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH DELAWARE LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Delaware Recognized Merit Credential” or “DERMC” means a competency-based credential designated by the Secretary of Education in coordination with the Delaware Workforce Development Board under Sec. 201.
  2. (b) “Federal FRAC” means a Federally Recognized Alternative Credential under Section 202 of the federal ACSA.
  3. (c) “Covered State licensing authority” means a board under Del. Code Title 24.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Delaware Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Del. Code Title 24 (licensing).
  • Del. Code Title 14 (education).
  • Del. Code Title 29 Chapter 85 (Workforce Board).
  • Del. Code Title 30 (taxation).
  • Del. Code Title 19 (labor).

TITLE II — DELAWARE RECOGNIZED MERIT CREDENTIALS

Sec. 201. Designation Authority

  1. (a) The Secretary of Education shall maintain a Delaware Recognized Merit Credentials registry (“DERMC Registry”) in machine-readable form, updated at least annually, crosswalked to Federal FRAC.

Sec. 202. Degree-Optional State Employment

  1. (a) The Department of Human Resources, acting under Del. Code Title 29 Chapter 59 (merit system), shall apply classifications so that a DERMC-holder satisfies any position qualification stated in terms of a college degree, unless expressly required by Delaware statute.

TITLE III — WORKFORCE-TRAINING TAX CREDIT (Worker-Protective Rewire)

Sec. 301. Skills-Based Hiring Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to Del. Code Title 30 equal to a percentage of qualified first-year wages paid to a Delaware-resident employee whose qualifying pathway is a DERMC or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Credit availability is conditioned on compliance with Del. Code Title 19 (labor) including Del. Code Tit. 29 Ch. 69 (prevailing wage).
  3. (c) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45AA; aggregate cap.
  4. (d) Division of Revenue administers.

TITLE IV — OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE PORTABILITY

Sec. 401. Licensure by Demonstrated Competency

  1. (a) Demonstrated-competency pathway accepting DERMC, Federal FRAC, or examination-plus-supervised-experience, subject to public health and safety requirements.

Sec. 402. Interstate Recognition for Federal-Fund Recipients

  1. (a) Recognition by federally-funded authorities, consistent with Section 401 of the federal ACSA.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect on July 1 of the year following enactment, except that Sec. 301 shall apply to taxable years beginning on or after January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: ACSA. Other Delaware bills: DE-MEWRA, DE-GT&P, DE-AI-Workforce.