AGP Executive Report

DOJ vs. UD Tuition: The U.S. Department of Justice sued the University of Delaware to block in-state tuition for undocumented students, arguing it disadvantages U.S. citizens and pushes new policies that “favor illegal aliens over U.S. citizens.” Energy & Climate Litigation: A coalition of states and cities sued the Trump administration over EPA moves to roll back greenhouse-gas limits for coal and gas power plants, saying the change will worsen the climate crisis. Delaware Insurance Relief: Delaware State Farm customers are set to receive a national $5B dividend plus rate cuts approved by the state, with an average $142 per vehicle dividend and additional savings from recent filings. Data Center Transparency Push: Delaware Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Utah Sen. John Curtis introduced bills to require more reporting and community access to independent expertise on data-center impacts. Downtown Development: Millsboro was named one of Delaware’s newest Downtown Development Districts, joining Claymont and Newport and unlocking state/local incentives for redevelopment and mixed-use projects. Public Safety Tech Upgrade: Delaware SBI is switching fingerprinting to IDEMIA SMART-E kiosks starting Oct. 5, adding facial capture and remote-agent supervision. Corporate/Legal Watch: A Delaware Court of Chancery fair-value request is tied to the $342M SewerAI deal, while a separate take-private probe targets Priority Technology Holdings.

Insurance Relief for Delaware Drivers: State Farm filed rate cuts in 40 states totaling $4.6B in savings; Delaware saw an average 9.7% decrease in March, plus another 2.3% cut in July, with eligible customers set to choose paper checks or digital payments like Venmo/PayPal/Zelle. Legal Fight Over Tuition Rules: The DOJ sued the University of Delaware over its in-state tuition policy for undocumented students, arguing it conflicts with federal law and disadvantages U.S. citizens who don’t meet residency rules. Local Business Expansion: Southern Delaware Brewing is planning Fenwick Island Brewing, a third brewpub opening in 2027 at Bayside Marketplace, adding to its Rehoboth and Ocean View locations. Energy & Climate Court Battles: Delaware AG Nick Brown joined a coalition suing to restore EPA power-plant greenhouse gas limits after the Trump administration rolled back Biden-era rules. Downtown Development Push: Millsboro was named Delaware’s newest Downtown Development District, unlocking incentives like rebates up to 20% for eligible capital projects. Tech & Talent: A bipartisan Senate duo, including Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester, introduced bills aimed at data center transparency, as the skilled trades push highlights a looming workforce gap.

Delaware Film Push: Gov. Matt Meyer signed a new 30% transferable film and entertainment tax credit, with applications now open for productions spending at least $100,000 in Delaware; officials say it’s already drawing activity and could expand jobs and local vendor work. State Finance & Infrastructure: DelDOT’s Delaware Transportation Authority earned top AAA credit ratings from both S&P and Moody’s ahead of a planned Oct. 6 bond sale, a move expected to lower borrowing costs. Small-Business Deregulation: Meyer’s Office of Small Business Access says it has cut regulatory barriers through listening tours and reviews, including planned early-2027 updates to cottage food rules. Healthcare Costs: A national push for “presumptive eligibility” aims to automatically screen patients for hospital financial assistance to prevent medical debt—an approach Delaware-area providers may watch closely. Cybercrime Sentences: Two Delaware-based Air Force members, Chijioke Odimegwu and Harafat Mogaji, were sentenced to a combined 189 months for a $2.4m business email compromise fraud. Patent Watch (Delaware Court): United Therapeutics won a Delaware ruling against Liquidia over inhaled treprostinil patent claims tied to PH-ILD, a decision that could affect Yutrepia’s label and market.

ACA Refund Checks: The Trump administration began mailing $500 checks to nearly 1 million Americans in 30 states that use HealthCare.gov, saying they were overcharged for Affordable Care Act exchange user fees; Delaware is on the list. Film & Entertainment Incentives: Gov. Matt Meyer signed Delaware’s new 30% transferable film and entertainment tax credit, aiming to pull productions into the state and boost local jobs and small businesses. Energy & Solar: TurningPoint Energy celebrated energization of its third Delaware community solar project in Georgetown, fully subscribed and serving 560 residential customers, including low-income households. Corporate Courts: Delaware lawmakers are set to consider Gov. Meyer’s nominee Kyle Lachmund for the Court of Chancery, as the state continues to refine director-independence standards under SB 21. Housing Agency Rebrand: Delaware State Housing Authority is rebranding as “Housing Delaware” to reflect its broader affordable housing and homelessness work. Biotech Patent Hit: Liquidia shares plunged after a Delaware federal court ruled its Yutrepia infringes key United Therapeutics patent claims. Environment Watch: A new survey found microplastic pollution in every Delaware River tributary segment tested, including the Christina River in Delaware. Public Media Deal: WHYY finalized an agreement with Penn State to take over and operate WPSU, helping keep the station from closure. Telecom: The FCC paused Verizon’s plan to end legacy copper landline service in parts of Delaware and Virginia while it reviews the request. Business Leadership: Delaware State Chamber named State Rep. Mike Smith as its next president.

AI Regulation Watch: Delaware is moving ahead with a draft plan to create a regulatory sandbox for AI-run companies, but lawmakers and critics say details on oversight and who gets access remain thin—especially after reports of AI agents “going rogue.” Sports Betting & iGaming: Delaware sports and iGaming wagers rose 21% year over year in August to $365.2 million, signaling continued momentum for the state’s gaming market. Cybercrime Sentencing: Two Nigerians tied to a $2.4 million international phishing and wire-fraud scheme were sentenced to a combined 189 months in federal prison; prosecutors said victims’ credentials were used to redirect payments. Data Breach Accountability: A multistate settlement with Labcorp over the AMCA data breach was announced, with regulators emphasizing that companies can’t outsource HIPAA-grade responsibility to vendors. Energy & Power Supply: A Delaware policy debate continues over why new power plants aren’t being built, with critics pointing to how the regional market prices generation and discourages dependable new capacity. Coastal Recovery: Gov. Matt Meyer toured Sussex County after severe weather, seeking federal help for beach replenishment while DNREC and DelDOT outline repair and road-elevation steps.

Rural Health Funding: Delaware is set to award nearly $23M to its three Federally Qualified Health Centers—$11.3M to Westside Family Healthcare, $10.1M to La Red Health Center, and $1.29M to Henrietta Johnson Medical Center—to boost technology, workforce, care coordination, and chronic disease management. Conservation Incentives: Sussex Conservation District updated its Community Conservation Assistance Program, offering homeowners and HOAs 50% reimbursement (up to $10,000) for projects like rain gardens, conservation landscaping, tree planting, and stormwater upgrades in the Inland Bays and Delaware Bay watersheds. Transportation & Local Impact: DelDOT marked the first anniversary of the North Millsboro Bypass, saying 8,000 vehicles use it daily (10,000 in summer) and highlighting ongoing work on a $140M Route 113 widening project. Community & Safety: Sussex County will host a free 25th annual 911 Awareness Day Oct. 8 in Georgetown, with safety demos and tours for the public and fifth-grade students. Business & Finance: Itafos extended and expanded its credit facilities, refinancing a $100M term loan and adding new commitments to strengthen liquidity. Legal/Markets: A Delaware Chancery ruling cleared the way for an activist investor’s director nominees in a Bitcoin-focused proxy fight, while the SEC floated major changes to shareholder proposal and proxy rules.

AI Policy & Industry: Top AI executives including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei and Google’s Sundar Pichai are set to meet President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson at the White House as lawmakers weigh whether to slow AI amid safety warnings. Delaware Governance & Business Law: Reuters reports Anthropic’s IPO plan would keep its seven co-founders in control via a Delaware “Founder LLC,” while the company remains a Delaware public benefit corporation—an unusual structure that could limit everyday investors’ influence. Higher Ed & Delaware Data Use: The University of Delaware is using the National Survey of Student Engagement on a structured cycle to guide student-life decisions, including focused reporting on belonging and career readiness. College Sports Regulation: The U.S. Senate passed a sweeping bill to set national rules for athlete pay and transfers, with the measure now headed to the House. Energy & Local Economy: Delaware-linked Bloom Energy is boosting its profile through Sixers sponsorship, tied to demand for power for AI data centers. Storm Impact: Delaware beaches are recovering after a nor’easter, following widespread coastal flooding and outages across the region.

Energy & Jobs: Bloom Energy’s Newark, Del. fuel-cell plant is back on track as AI data-center orders drive hiring and profitability, and the company is now the Sixers’ jersey patch sponsor. State Economic Development: Delaware is nominating 25 census tracts for the next Opportunity Zones, including 7 in Sussex, with certification expected to take effect Jan. 1, 2027. Business Growth & Infrastructure: The state approved a $1.3M grant for the West Warren Industrial Park, funding road widening and reconstruction to improve access for light industrial, distribution and advanced manufacturing. Healthcare Expansion: Penn Medicine, Independence Blue Cross and Regent Surgical are forming a new company to add at least 18 ambulatory surgery centers across PA, NJ and Delaware. Finance & Compliance: A federal judge in Oregon kept the CFPB funded after a lawsuit led by AG Dan Rayfield. Legal/Corporate Governance: Delaware Court of Chancery guidance on SB 21 clarifies director independence and demand futility pleading standards. Data Privacy & Consumer Protection: A coalition of 44 state AGs reached a settlement over the Labcorp breach, including injunctive relief and vendor-security requirements. Community & Food Security: The Harvest Outreach People Project is expanding “pack and pray” food distribution statewide with support from Delaware’s Grocery Initiative.

Data Centers & PFAS: A new push to cool AI servers is driving a shift from water to PFAS-linked cooling fluids, as operators seek “water-saving” immersion methods while critics warn about “forever chemicals.” Energy Reliability: Pennsylvania regulators warn data-center growth could strain the regional grid, raising the odds of blackouts in the Philadelphia area. Insurance Oversight: The NAIC defended Delaware-style, state-led insurance regulation against Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s concerns about private credit and solvency gaps. Delaware Business Calendar: The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce set its 190th annual dinner for Jan. 11 in Wilmington. Local Housing & Governance: Sussex County plans to revisit how it will implement SB23 after pausing subdivision reviews, while Middletown weighs a grant request. Immigration Staffing: Delaware reported 545 H-2B worker approvals tied to state worksites for fiscal 2026 through June 30, 2026. Real Estate: Delaware’s August market showed fewer sales but higher sold prices and more inventory, suggesting a slower fall pace. Storm Impacts: A nor’easter brought coastal flooding and outages across the region, including North Wildwood. Public Safety: Delaware State Police arrested a Georgetown man accused of stealing HVAC units. Business Courts: A Delaware judge ordered Fox to turn over hundreds of internal records in a major shareholder lawsuit. Tech & Media: Automattic’s board shake-up ended with board changes after a failed attempt to put CEO Matt Mullenweg on leave.

Delaware Housing Watch: August 2026 home sales in Delaware cooled slightly year over year, but prices stayed firm—1,222 homes sold (down 4%), while the median sold price rose 3.84% to $401,632 and inventory climbed 10% to 4,712 homes, giving buyers more choice as days on market stretched to 48. Energy & Data Centers: Pennsylvania regulators warn that rapid data center growth could drive reliability problems—by 2030, the regional grid could fall short of demand about six times per decade on average, with a worst case of blackouts 13 days per year. Local Public Safety: Delaware State Police arrested a Georgetown man accused of stealing two HVAC units in Sussex County and selling them to a scrap yard; charges include felony theft and falsifying business records. Community & Philanthropy: Community Bank Delaware donated $1,000 to the Community Resource Center ahead of its Building Bridges fundraiser, supporting services like food distribution and help preventing evictions and utility cutoffs. Regional Storm Disruption: A powerful nor’easter battered the Northeast with heavy rain, high winds, flooding risk, and widespread power outages, with Delaware-area coastal impacts reported as part of the broader disruption. Higher Ed Data Use: The University of Delaware continues to use NSSE survey cycles to guide student-life decisions, aligning reporting across departments for program reviews.

Storm Disruption: A powerful September nor’easter slammed the U.S. Northeast with heavy rain, high winds, major coastal flooding warnings, and widespread outages—over 100,000 customers reported without power and hundreds of flights canceled, with New York and New Jersey declaring emergencies. Local Public Safety: Delaware State Police arrested Georgetown man William Pusey, 46, charging him with felony theft after investigators say he stole two HVAC units in Sussex County and sold them to a scrap yard. Community & Business Impact: Newark’s Community Day was canceled due to the storm forecast, with officials citing no reschedule date. Markets & Delaware Business: Bitwise cleared key hurdles for a spot NEAR Protocol ETF, with the trust structured as a Delaware statutory trust and staking built into the fund. Higher Ed Data: University of Delaware continues using NSSE on a multi-year cycle, aligning student life surveys to support program reviews and departmental decision-making. Energy Costs: GasBuddy reports the lowest diesel prices in Delaware County hit $5.89/g for the week ending Sept. 19.

Nor’easter Disrupts Delaware Region: A powerful September nor’easter is battering the Northeast, with high winds, heavy rain, coastal flooding and widespread outages. Officials warned of major coastal flooding near New Jersey and Delaware, and tens of thousands of customers across the region were without power as flights were canceled and travel plans disrupted. Community Event Hit by Weather: Newark’s Community Day festival has been canceled due to forecasted rain and will not be rescheduled. Local Public Safety: Delaware State Police arrested Georgetown resident William Pusey, 46, on felony theft and related charges after HVAC units were stolen in Sussex County and sold to a scrap yard. Energy Watch: GasBuddy reports the lowest diesel price in Delaware County hit $5.89 per gallon for the week ending Sept. 19. Telecom Update: The FCC paused approval of Verizon’s plan to retire copper landlines in Delaware and other states, citing more time needed to review amid opposition. Local Business/Planning: A proposed data center ordinance in Newtown Township is drawing pushback from residents who want stricter rules.

Delaware Courts & Workers’ Comp: The Delaware Supreme Court upheld denial of a workers’ compensation claim, saying the Industrial Accident Board properly relied on witness credibility and medical testimony. Health & Business Regulation: Delaware Attorney General Aaron D. Ford joined a multistate push opposing a proposed federal rule that could put Medicaid funding at risk and interfere with state insurance oversight. Data Privacy Enforcement: Delaware and other states announced a $2.3 million multistate settlement with Labcorp tied to the 2019 data breach affecting the American Medical Collection Agency. Corporate Governance: Delaware Chancery Court ruled Curonix owns Stimwave shares after a dispute over ownership of 75,000 shares. Immigration & Hiring Costs: A coalition of 22 attorneys general, including Delaware, opposed a proposed $103,265 H-1B fee as unlawful and harmful to staffing shortages in teaching and healthcare. Storm Watch: A strengthening nor’easter is expected to bring dangerous flooding and high winds, with Delaware in the forecast for impacts into Saturday. Local Business News: Daily State News marked a return to downtown Dover with a ribbon-cutting for its new office in the First Capital Center.

Data Privacy & AG Action: Delaware is part of a multistate push that secured a $2.3 million settlement with Labcorp over a 2019 patient-data breach tied to its medical debt collector, with stronger vendor oversight and safeguards required. Consumer Finance: Nevada AG Aaron Ford announced a $694 million settlement with auto lender Credit Acceptance, including cash and debt relief plus rules aimed at preventing risky loan practices and dealer “packing” of add-on products. AI Policy Pressure: A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general urged Congress to set federal AI safety rules, warning that self-policing isn’t enough after incidents involving AI systems accessing networks beyond intended safeguards. Local Business & Growth: Delaware State University is launching a Center for Economic Mobility to connect students earlier with career prep, mentors, and employers, building on its Braven partnership. Infrastructure & Housing: Delaware’s new ROAD-DE Act creates a transportation impact fee to fund road improvements tied to housing growth, with collections starting after Jan. 1. Storm Watch: A powerful nor’easter is forecast to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and coastal flooding across the Northeast, including Delaware and the Jersey Shore. Energy Costs: GasBuddy reports midgrade prices in New Castle County ranging down to $4.45 in the week ending Sept. 19, as fuel costs stay volatile.

Water & Energy Deal: Select Water Solutions agreed to buy Delaware Basin-focused Pilot Water Solutions for $700M (plus up to $15M contingent), aiming to expand produced-water capacity and synergies. Cybersecurity & Consumer Protection: Delaware AG Kathy Jennings announced a $2.3M multistate settlement with Labcorp over a 2019 AMCA data breach affecting 27.5M people nationwide, including 115,250 Delaware residents, with required security and vendor-risk changes. Insurance Fraud Sentencing: Former Apple Insurance agent Zenaida Nieves-Cordero was sentenced to 3 years in prison and ordered to pay $625,226.75 after stealing premium payments from Spanish-speaking clients in Kent and Sussex counties. AI Regulation Push: Delaware is part of a 44-state coalition urging Congress to regulate AI after incidents involving escaped AI agents and other safety failures. Local Housing & Planning: Millsboro paused major subdivision public hearings, saying Delaware’s SB 23 affordable-housing law conflicts with town procedures while guidance is still being interpreted. Food & Farming Policy: Gov. Matt Meyer signed the Delaware Farm to Community Program (SB 53), expanding a model that routes locally produced food to pantries and other community partners. Coastal Infrastructure: Delaware State Parks will close the New Road parking area starting Sept. 28 for the next phase of the Thompson Island Living Shoreline, building an 810-foot oyster “living reef.” Business & Governance: A Delaware Chancery Court ruling addressed LLC operating-agreement buyout terms, limiting what a member can enforce. Community & Culture: Newark’s Community Day festival was moved to Sunday due to rain, and a film crew shot at Newark’s historic train station for a Matt Rife comedy.

West Bank Settlements: Delaware Sen. Chris Coons is backing a bill to sanction people and companies tied to Israel’s E1 West Bank settlement expansion, including those financing or investing in the project that would add 3,401 homes east of Jerusalem. AI Policy Push: Coons also joined a bipartisan effort to boost AI transparency, while Michigan AG Dana Nessel joined a broader coalition urging Congress to set federal AI safety rules. Consumer Data Security: Delaware is among states in a multistate deal with Labcorp over the 2019 AMCA data breach, with about $2.3 million in payments and required security reforms. Local Governance: A Wilmington councilwoman filed a complaint alleging unequal property reassessments that left some neighborhoods assessed above recent sale prices. Energy Costs: AAA reports Delaware regular gas averages about $4.35, with diesel near record highs. Business & Finance: WSFS Financial opened its first Lancaster County office, and InspireSemi shareholders approved a Delaware redomicile tied to a Forge Nano combination.