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Issues

In 2024, the United States truly faces one of the most critical elections in our history. This year, choice is on the ballot, democracy is on the ballot, and the American Dream itself is on the ballot – as the quality of life our parents enjoyed becomes out of reach for many Americans.

I’m a pro-choice Democrat running to be the first woman to represent the people of RD 14 (Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, and Dewey) in the Delaware House.

In Delaware, the General Assembly is responsible for making laws and passing a balanced budget, and it also passes the bond and grant-in-aid bills that fund capital projects and non-profits respectively. In Dover, I will work hard to make sure Sussex County receives its fair share of resources, and that as much money as possible goes to support organizations and agencies that meet our needs in terms of healthcare, education, housing, and the environment.

Claire Snyder-Hall

Platform

As RD 14’s representative in Dover, I will work to:

    1. Protect reproductive freedom. People should have the freedom to determine for themselves the size and timing of their families and having access to abortion services and in vitro fertilization are part of that self-determination. No one should be forced to bear a child because they cannot access or afford an abortion, and no one should feel compelled to have an abortion because they are too poor to support a family. Requiring insurance companies and Medicaid to cover abortion services is an important part of that vision. And we need a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights.
    2. Strengthen democracy.  Delaware has a lot of room for growth when it comes to democracy.  For example, we need to pass vote-by-mail, so people can vote safely and smoothly from home.  We need a non-partisan Inspector General to eliminate fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in government agencies.  We need to strengthen and enforce campaign finance laws, so that voters can see where candidate money comes from and make sure that their donations are going for legitimate campaign expenses. I worked with legislators and allies on all those issues when I was Executive Director of Common Cause DE, and I will continue that work in the General Assembly.
    3. Rebuild the American Dream.  All over the country, people are facing numerous crises that are eroding our prosperity, quality of life, and hopes for the future, particularly in the areas of health, education, housing and the environment.  While these “wicked problems” have no easy solutions, working together we can make positive changes.

      More specifically, I support a package of doable legislative changes to enhance our quality of life, including both current or upcoming bills and more visionary yet pragmatic ideas for the future.

      • Healthcare: In terms of current bills, I would have voted for HB 285, a bill to allow health-care providers to decide whether a person is allowed to access medical marijuana, which just passed both houses, and I would also support HB 253, which would require insurance companies to cover mammograms for women 40 and older with or without a referral. And I support efforts to expand mental health services and long-term care that are in the works in Dover.  In addition, I will work towards the creation of a public option or single-payer system for the state, possibly as part of a consortium of states, that would ensure access, control costs, and improve public health, and it must include mental health and dental services. And I support the creation of a medical school in Sussex County that could help ameliorate the shortage of doctors in our district.
      • Education: I would vote for HB 267, which would prohibit schools from barring students from extracurricular activities, if they owe money for school lunches, and I support funding for much-needed new schools in the Cape School District.  In addition, I will work to increase supports for the traditional public schools, instead of fostering charter schools that can pick and choose which students they want to serve and disenroll the others.
      • Housing: I would vote for HB 212, which would limit how much landlords can increase ground rent in manufactured home communities. I worked on that very issue in 2013 and will continue to do so when I get to Dover. I also support SB 90, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of income.  In addition, I will work to increase funding for workforce housing (which would help both working people and the businesses that seek to hire them) and for more shelter options for the disproportionate number of unhoused people in Sussex County.
      • The Environment: We need to get serious about climate resilience and transitioning to sustainable sources of energy. In terms of current bills, I would vote for HB 248, an environmental justice bill, which would require DNREC to reach out to “underserved communities,” when permitting affects their quality of life. In addition, I support the “Green Amendment,” which would create an inherent and inalienable right for all Delawareans to a clean and healthy environment and thus help conserve, protect, and maintain Delaware’s natural resources. I would work to pass an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance that would ensure that necessary infrastructure is in place before new communities are constructed.