Delaware

Carney says he wasn’t ‘comfortable’ approving end-of-life options bill; vetoes legislation

Published

2 years ago

September 20, 2024

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Carney says he wasn’t ‘comfortable’ approving end-of-life options bill; vetoes legislation

Decades in the making, House Bill 140 was set to give end-of-life options to terminally ill Delawareans with a prognosis of six months or less to live.
While the General Assembly approved the bill earlier this year by tight margins, Gov. John Carney on Sept. 20 vetoed the legislation.
Carney said he is “fundamentally and morally opposed” to the law, which he said has little concensus and support among medical professionals.

Ron Silverio. Heather Block. Chuck Knothe.

These terminally ill Delawareans, all of whom suffered from cancer, wanted the option to die on their own terms. They wanted the choice to self-administer life-ending medication so they and their loved ones wouldn’t be put through the often ugly and frequently painful last few days and weeks of death.

Silverio died on Jan. 7, 2018. Block died two months later, on March 3, 2018. Knothe died this week, on Sept. 16, 2024.

None of them lived long enough to have those options in Delaware. And Gov. John Carney’s veto of House Bill 140 on Friday ensures no other terminally ill First State residents will, either.

CHUCK KNOTHE’S DYING WISH: Facing imminent death, he wanted to go on his terms. Why governor’s inaction prevented that

Carney vetoed the bill commonly known as the Ron Silverio/Heather Block End of Life Options Law, blocking terminally ill Delaware residents with six months or less to live from being able to choose when and how they die. Delaware would have been the 12th state in the country to allow medical aid in dying.

In his veto letter to state lawmakers, Carney said he does not believe there is “firm consensus” on the issue within the medical community.

“Although I understand not everyone shares my views, I am fundamentally and morally opposed to state law enabling someone, even under tragic and painful circumstances, to take their own life,” he wrote. “As I have shared consistently, I am simply not comfortable letting this piece of legislation become law.”

How this legislation made its way to Gov. Carney’s desk

The legislation, which was nearly a decade in the making, was passed in the final days of this year’s session. This iteration of the bill was introduced last year by Rep. Paul Baumbach, with Reps. Eric Morrison, Melissa Minor-Brown and Sen. Bryan Townsend co-sponsoring the bill.

While the Delaware House of Representatives voted in favor in April, the Senate didn’t pass the legislation until June 25. It only narrowly survived an 11-10 vote along party lines.

Much of the debate over the bill echoed that of abortion rights, with some legislators invoking God in their arguments.

“Whether you believe in God or not, whether you’re an atheist or not, He still brought you in, He takes you home,” said Sen. Dave Lawson, a Republican representing Marydel, in late June.

(Democratic Sen. Laura Sturgeon briefly interjected as Lawson spoke, noting that government is supposed to “separate Church and State.”)

BACKGROUND: How a Delaware bill would give terminally ill patients end-of-life options

Others made the “slippery slope” argument that abortion opponents also frequently invoke.

“Once society begins to accept the premise that some lives are not worth living, where does it end?” asked Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, a Republican representing Georgetown.

“We risk normalizing the idea that suicide is an acceptable solution to suffering,” he continued, “which could lead to broader and more dangerous interpretations potentially encompassing those with non-terminal illnesses or mental health concerns.”

But proponents of the bill were quick to point out that the Delaware law is narrowly tailored. It’s also very specific about who is eligible and what safeguards must be in place.

What safeguards were in place?

Had Carney allowed for the passage of the legislation, only Delaware residents would have been permitted to request life-ending medication, unlike some states that do not have a residency requirement.

Residents would have had to make the request for themselves – it could not be done on a person’s behalf. To be eligible, a patient was required to have a terminal illness with a prognosis of less than six months to live.

“An individual cannot qualify for medication to end life under this chapter solely because of the individual’s age or disability,” the bill says, adding that a mental illness is not a qualifying illness.

After eligibility is determined and a person has made an oral request for the medication – which typically induces death in about three hours – patients would have been required to perform numerous additional steps, including:

Submitting a second, written request that is witnessed by at least two adults (with limitations on who can be a witness)
Being provided the opportunity to rescind their request
Undergoing two waiting periods before a physician can prescribe the medication.

According to lobbyist organization Compassion and Choices, even once prescribed the medication, less than two-thirds of patients actually use it.

Additionally, healthcare facilities were allowed to prohibit physicians or Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) from prescribing medication as long as they notified all providers and the public of the policy.

Prescribers could have also refused a request for any reason.

Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_

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Delaware

Delaware history in News Journal May 31-June 6: royal visit, oil plea

Published

7 hours ago

May 30, 2026

Press Room

Delaware history in News Journal May 31-June 6: royal visit, oil plea

Excerpts from The News Journal archives from May 31 to June 6 include a visit from Swedish royalty in 1926.
Wilmington mayor invites oil executives to consider onshore support site for offshore drilling in 1976.
Dover NASCAR race track plans upgrades in 2006 after 134,000 attend latest event.

The Delaware history column features excerpts from The News Journal archives including The Morning News and The Evening Journal. See the archives at delawareonline.com.

100 years ago, The Evening Journal, June 1, 1926

Cordial welcome given Swedish royalty

Thousands of Wilmingtonians yesterday afternoon greeted Crown Prince Gustavus Adolphus and his wife, Princess Louise Alexandra, of Sweden, who were guests of the city. …

The royal party arrived on a special train at French Street Station and were greeted by a reception committee headed by Mayor Forrest. …

The crowd waiting at the station for a glimpse of the couple was so great that it had to be held back by ropes and guards.

When the Princess alighted from the train she was presented with a bouquet by Mrs. Christopher L. Ward, a member of the reception committee. …

The royal visitors were escorted to waiting automobiles to begin their hasty trip to Old Swedes Church. …

During the trip, the Mayor pointed out the Old Town Hall, the public buildings which were decorated with the American flag and the flag of Sweden, and the William P. Bancroft School.

A crowd estimated at 3,000 persons greeted the city’s guests at the church. The royal couple entered by walking through the cemetery and a lane of Boy Scouts bearing American and Swedish flags. …

Near the entrance, the Prince and Princess were greeted by the Rev. Dr. Frederick M. Kirkus, rector of Trinity P.E. Church. …

Inside, they were met by Bishop Philip Cook of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware. …

A silver plaque was presented to the Prince bearing an engraving of Old Swedes Church and an inscription commemorating the royal couple’s visit. The plaque’s frame is made of wood from the old church. …

Prince Gustavus offered thanks for the warm welcome.

“I am deeply moved by being here at this church and to stand in the place where the first Swedes in this country offered their worship,” he said. “This day I shall always remember and the memory will always be pleasant.”

Also from 100 years ago, The Evening Journal, June 1, 1926

Holiday automobile traffic heavy

An average of 12 cars a minute passed Station No. 2 of the State Police on the duPont Boulevard and the Glasgow-Elkton Road during a 12-hour check-up on Memorial Day yesterday.

In all, 9,101 cars passed the State Police station, according to Superintendent C.C. Reynolds of the State Police.

This was the heaviest traffic State Police have had to handle since last July 5, when 9,221 cars were counted in a 12-hour check-up….

Although there were several accidents, none were serious.

State Police kept the heavy volume of traffic moving fast. On the Philadelphia Pike, the officers speeded up traffic by having slow-moving vehicles pull to one side at times, allowing faster cars to move ahead.

50 years ago, The Morning News, June 3, 1976

Mayor’s overtures may bring oilmen to Delaware

Mayor Thomas C. Maloney will try to convince visiting oilmen today that Wilmington and its port should be the onshore headquarters for offshore oil and gas development.

Maloney has organized a two-day show-and-tell for the American Petroleum Institutes’ Atlantic Offshore Committee, a group touring the East Coast looking for potential onshore support sites.

Maloney’s invitation is one of the few direct Delaware overtures to the oil industry, which generally considers the state unfriendly. That attitude stems, in part, from Delaware’s Coastal Zone law banning refineries, superports and pipelines along the state’s shores.

Although the oil companies like Delaware because of the natural deepwater in the Delaware Bay and its proximity to where future drilling may occur, most oil industry representatives say there are enough other states actively soliciting onshore development. …

When the chairman of the committee heard of Maloney’s invitation, he wrote to other members, urging them to take a “hard look” at Wilmington.

Offshore oil drilling has been a controversy in Delaware for about five years. The Interior Department expects to hold a lease sale this summer for ocean bottom land 50 to 100 miles off the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.

20 years ago, The News Journal, June 5, 2006

Kenseth tames Dover’s ‘Monster Mile’ before planned changes

The scene was a familiar one after the NASCAR Nextel Cup series race at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.

Sunburned fans filed down from the grandstands, coolers in tow, heading back to their cars. The driver crews hustled their machinery back to the haulers.

And Matt Kenseth, who won the Neighborhood Excellence 400 presented by Bank of America, celebrated in victory lane. …

An estimated crowd of 134,000 fans included Rocky and Gloria Chase of Cape May, N.J., who got married in the infield before the race with the Kent County Clerk of the Peace performing the ceremony. …

But nothing will be the same at Dover now that the speedway is about to undergo a five-year improvement that track officials dubbed “The Monster Makeover.”

Changes will include more parking, an outdoor concert area, improved concession areas and more skyboxes. All of it is being done to appeal to a younger demographic while not alienating hard-core fans who have supported the sport for years.

Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.

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How Delaware fans will get to Philadelphia World Cup matches

Published

17 hours ago

May 30, 2026

Press Room

How Delaware fans will get to Philadelphia World Cup matches

When thousands of soccer fans descend on Philadelphia for the 2026 World Cup, the trip to the game will begin long before kickoff.

For most Delaware residents relying on public transportation, that journey starts on Amtrak or SEPTA platforms – navigating a transit system preparing for global‑scale crowds.

“Capacity is already sufficient for expected demand and we are prepared to scale operations if needed,” John Golden, a SEPTA senior press officer, told Delaware Online/The News Journal. “Travel demand is expected to be distributed, with many matches occurring during off‑peak commuting periods or weekends.”

More than 500,000 visitors are expected to come to Philadelphia for six FIFA World Cup matches at Lincoln Financial Field and the 39‑day FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park, according to Visit Philadelphia. The events run from June 11 to July 19, with matches in Philadelphia scheduled between June 14 and July 4 – coinciding with the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.

DART said it plans to operate on normal schedules during the World Cup, meaning SEPTA will be the primary public transit option for most travelers heading from Delaware to Philadelphia for the games.

What to know about SEPTA

SEPTA isn’t planning on any baseline service increases on the Wilmington/Newark line or the Media/Wawa line, as both lines have sufficient existing capacity, Golden said. SEPTA will monitor ridership in real time and will be prepared to add additional resources if necessary.

Golden recommends travelers give themselves two hours of travel time.

There are no discount passes, but through a partnership with Airbnb there will be free rides home on SEPTA’s Broad Street Line [B] after all six FIFA World Cup matches in Philadelphia (from NRG Station only), Golden said.

Golden said SEPTA will “maintain a flexible, responsive operating posture to adjust service as needed.”

Additionally, he said they want want locals and visitors to know SEPTA transports about 800,000 riders safely every day throughout the Philadelphia region.

“Planning for FIFA and the other events scheduled for this summer began last year and we are working with other local agencies, including the City of Philadelphia, Amtrak, NJ Transit and others to ensure that everyone’s experience is a positive one, not just during FIFA and America 250 events, but throughout the summer and beyond,” he added. “We encourage riders to visit SEPTA.org, where they will find up-to-date information on schedules, fares, enhanced service, and more.”

Extra police patrols will be added to both the B Line trains and stations to get riders home safely and SEPTA encourages riders to utilize the SEPTA Transit Watch App, where they can report safety and security issues discreetly.

Getting around in Philly

Once you manage to get to Philadelphia, the city’s convention and visitors’ bureau offers some suggestions on how to navigate the City of Brotherly Love.

Take some comfortable shoes and walk in Philadelphia, which has consistently ranked as one of USA TODAY’s Most Walkable City to Visit in the country.

There’s biking. No worries if you didn’t bring yours, Philadelphia has the Indego program – an around-the-clock bike-share program that provides thousands of classic and electric-assist bicycles at more than 250 stations around the city. Riders must be 14 or older to ride classic bikes and older than 15 to ride the electric bikes. Costs vary by the type of bike and the amount of time needed to use them.

Don’t want to sweat? There’s SEPTA, which offers an expansive network of subways, buses and regional trains with one-way fares starting at just $2.90.

Uber and Lyft are the go-to ride share services in Philadelphia, but you want to make sure you have these mobile apps installed with your payment information stored.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.

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Delaware

The best Delaware high schools for athletes? According to one study, these are top 25

Published

1 day ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

The best Delaware high schools for athletes? According to one study, these are top 25

Tucked away on the East Coast, one of the smallest states has had a sizeable impact on the national sports scene.

Elena Delle Donne, one of the GOATs of women’s basketball, dominated the hardwood as a high school athlete, breaking Delaware’s points record. Chris Godwin, who has been a Pro Bowler and won a Super Bowl, was a top WR recruit and won two championships as a Delaware high schooler. Delino DeShields, a former MLB player, committed to LSU for both baseball and football.