Sponsor cites 'Ace's Law' after child drowning as committee considers elopement-notice bill

The sponsor presented House Substitute 1 for HB 3-58, a bill inspired by Maryland’s 'Ace’s Law,' to require schools to notify a parent or guardian the same day a student attempts or completes elopement (leaving the supervision of a school staff member without permission). The sponsor said the substitute incorporates feedback from Autism Delaware to cover all students, including those with undocumented autism spectrum disorder, and to equip parents and staff with information about potentially unsafe behaviors.

Sponsor cited data from the National Autism Association that nearly half of children with autism spectrum disorder tend to wander and that drowning accounts for a large share of lethal outcomes. The department of education reviewed the bill and indicated no changes, and the sponsor opened the bill to questions and public testimony.

Susan Brown, executive director of the Delaware Association of School Administrators, and Kevin Dickerson, speaking for the Chief School Officers Association, said they support the safety intent but asked the committee to consider tabling the bill for further local input. They argued the language may duplicate board‑approved attendance policies, create operational complexity (for example, on field trips), and amount to an unfunded mandate if no sustainable resources are provided for implementation.

The sponsor and the chair acknowledged these operational concerns — noting that in secondary settings a school may not immediately realize a student has left — and the sponsor said she would consider the issues before circulating the bill in committee. The committee did not record a vote on HB 3-58 in this session.