Initiatives - Governor John Carney

Office of the Governor
JOHN CARNEY

Governor Carney took office on January 17, 2017 focused on making Delaware's economy more competitive, preparing Delaware's children to succeed, and building a long-term, sustainable financial plan.

Working with Delawareans across the state, and with members of the General Assembly, he has delivered on each of those priorities.

Governor Carney has directed new resources to high-needs schools, partnered with the private sector to drive new job creation, and taken steps to lower healthcare costs for Delaware families, businesses, and taxpayers.

One year since his Inauguration as Delaware's 74^th Governor, here's how Governor Carney is working for Delawareans.

Featured News from Governor Carney

Education

Picture of Governor Carney at a local elementary school.

Investing in High-Needs Schools

Governor Carney has partnered to deliver new resources into high-needs schools, stocking basic needs closets statewide, and launching an Opportunity Grants program to support low-income students, English language learners, and Delaware students with special needs.

Economy

Picture of Governor Carney with hard working Delawareans.

Fighting for Good-Paying Jobs

Governor Carney worked with the General Assembly to partner with the private sector to drive job creation, and signed the first major reforms to the Coastal Zone Act, clearing the way for additional development and cleanup of legacy industrial sites.

Healthier Delaware

Picture of Governor Carney signing into law major reforms to expand access to substance abuse treatment.

Confronting Addiction in Delaware

Governor Carney signed major reforms to expand access to substance abuse treatment, strengthen oversight of opioid prescriptions, and coordinate Delaware's response to the addiction crisis.

Action Plan for Delaware — Our Progress

Image of a green completion checkmark Restructured Delaware's economic development efforts, partnering strategically with the private sector to attract business and jobs to Delaware.

Image of a green completion checkmark Created the Opportunity Grants program to offer new resources and support for low-income students, English language learners, and students with special needs.

Image of a green completion checkmark Signed the first major reforms to the Coastal Zone Act, clearing the way for additional redevelopment and cleanup of legacy industrial sites.

Image of a green completion checkmark Strengthened protections for Delawareans whose personal information is threatened by breaches of cyber security.

Image of a green completion checkmark Redirected new resources to support small businesses and entrepreneurs through a new small business office within the Department of State.

Image of a green completion checkmark Signed into law a package of legislation that expanded access to substance abuse treatment, and strengthened oversight of opioid prescriptions.

Image of a green completion checkmark Established a consistent anti-discrimination policy across state government.

Image of a green completion checkmark Created the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review Board (GEAR) to continuously identify cost savings and system improvements across state government.

Image of a green completion checkmark Signed legislation to lower healthcare costs for Delaware families, businesses, and state government through the launch of a healthcare benchmark initiative.

Image of a green completion checkmark Created a Department of Human Resources within state government to spearhead women's advocacy, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and other issues important to state employees.

Image of a green completion checkmark Expanded access to public data through Delaware's Open Data Portal.

Image of a green completion checkmark Preserved over 3,000 acres of farmland on 34 Delaware farms.

Initiatives — Governor Carney's Priorities

One year since Governor Carney took office, state government is working for Delawareans. Governor Carney and his team have:

STRENGTHENING DELAWARE'S ECONOMY

Restructured Delaware's economic development efforts, partnering strategically with the private sector to attract business and jobs to Delaware.

Signed the first major reforms to the Coastal Zone Act, clearing the way for additional redevelopment and cleanup of legacy industrial sites.

Redirected new resources to support small businesses and entrepreneurs through a new small business office within the Department of State.

Launched Mobile One-Stop jobs unit to provide job-related services in communities with high rates of unemployment.

Partnered with DuPont and the University of Delaware to open the Delaware Innovation Space, a major business incubator and research institute at the Experimental Station.

Announced $258 million of investments to create jobs and rebuild Wilmington transportation infrastructure, including new Christina River Bridge and Wilmington Transit Center.

Signed legislation to enhance protections for Delawareans whose personal information is affected by a breach of cybersecurity, providing the first update in Delaware law in more than a decade to address advances in cyber threats.

Signed legislation that prevents employers from requesting the salary history of job applicants and helps address a persistent pay gap between men and women.

Announced New Wilmington sports complex, home to 76ers G League Team.

BETTER SCHOOLS FOR ALL DELAWARE CHILDREN

Created the Opportunity Grants program to offer new resources and support for low-income students, English language learners, and students with special needs.

Established the Office of Innovation and Improvement, led by a veteran Wilmington educator, to focus support on high-needs schools across Delaware, starting in Wilmington.

Launched a Basic Needs Closet initiative to stock 45 high-poverty schools with basic necessities such as clean clothing, school supplies, hygiene products, and winter clothing.

Restructured the Department of Education as a support agency, decreasing administrative positions while increasing supports for educators.

Partnered with school districts to upgrade broadband technology in 48 schools across the state, doubling bandwidth capacity and expanding access to high-speed internet for 27,000 Delaware children.

A HEALTHIER DELAWARE

Launched healthcare benchmark initiative to lower healthcare costs for Delaware families, businesses, and state government.

Signed legislation allowing the sale of naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, at pharmacies without an individual prescription.

Signed into law a package of legislation that expanded access to substance abuse treatment, and strengthened oversight of opioid prescriptions.

Implemented new opioid prescription regulations, resulting in a 12 percent drop in prescriptions statewide.

Created Behavioral Health Consortium and Addiction Action Committee to more effectively coordinate mental health and addiction services statewide.

Launched HelpIsHereDE.com, Delaware's one-stop website for information and services related to addiction prevention, treatment and recovery for the community, those struggling with addiction, and medical providers.

INVESTING IN PUBLIC SAFETY

Announced an agreement to increase salaries for Delaware's correctional officers and study additional changes to help recruit and retain officers, and decrease the use of mandatory overtime across Delaware's correctional system.

Appointed a Special Assistant at the Department of Correction to oversee implementation of reforms recommended by the Independent Review into conditions at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center.

Implemented significant investments in equipment, technology and training at the Department of Correction.

Appointed a new Bureau Chief to lead DOC's efforts to help offenders successfully re-enter their communities, and reduce Delaware's rate of recidivism.

Opted-in to federal FirstNet plan to build a wireless broadband network intended to improve communications for first responders across the State of Delaware.

Joined the National Criminal Justice Reform Project – an initiative led by the National Governors Association and the National Criminal Justice Association Center for Justice Planning to assist states in implementing evidence-based criminal justice reforms.

BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES

Launched the Statewide Emergency Repair Program, a one-stop source for low-income homeowners in need of emergency repairs. The program has helped 121 families so far with about $462,000 in repairs. SERP replaced a patchwork of local programs with a single point of contact statewide.

Strengthened local efforts in the fight against blight, with a $5.5 million investment in Delaware communities through the Strong Neighborhoods Housing Fund. The investment will lead to about 100 new or rehabilitated housing units statewide. The total Strong Neighborhoods projects will total about 181 units statewide, replacing vacant, foreclosed or abandoned properties with new homeowners.

Expanded summer and after-school programs in communities serving high-risk populations.

Created Project LAUNCH to provide trauma-informed training to early learning professionals in high-risk and disadvantaged communities, starting in Wilmington.

Invested in Delaware's towns and cities through Delaware's Downtown Development districts program, which has leveraged $448 million in private and other public investment in downtown districts across the state.

RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT

Created a Department of Human Resources within state government to spearhead women's advocacy, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and other issues important to state employees.

Hired Delaware's first Chief Diversity Officer to lead the state's efforts to define and cultivate equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout state government.

Established a consistent anti-discrimination policy across state government.

Created the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review Board (GEAR) to continuously identify cost savings and system improvements across state government.

Signed legislation making comprehensive reforms to the state's unclaimed property laws to make them more predictable, efficient and fair.

Received top AAA bond ratings from all three major credit rating agencies, and saved taxpayers $4.7 million through debt refinancing.

Expanded access to open data, adding features and datasets to the Open Data Portal. The portal offers Delawareans unfiltered access to data collected and maintained by state government, including information about public spending, state land inventory, and air quality monitoring. Eleven additional datasets were made publicly available in the last year alone.

Deployed more than 100 Delaware National Guard soldiers, airmen and women to support relief efforts in Texas, the United States Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Launched delaware.gov/relief to support relief efforts in Puerto Rico and other areas affected by natural disasters.

Featured News from Governor Carney

Action Plan for Delaware — Our Progress