Melissa Minor-Brown

Research shows and recent events prove that school resource officers (SROs) and constables do not make schools safer. In fact, according to Federal Civil Rights data, Delaware students attending schools with police are eight times more likely to be arrested than students attending schools without police.

Would you support legislation to replace SROs and constables with more effective measures that are proven to help keep our schools safe?:

The “school-to-prison pipeline” refers to a disturbing national trend wherein children are funneled out of public schools and into juvenile and criminal justice systems. Implicit biases against Black and brown children cause them to experience harsher discipline than their white counterparts.

If elected, will you promote the use of restorative justice practices in Delaware’s schools?

There are currently an estimated 5,000 undocumented children in Delaware living without access to basic healthcare services. The “Cover All Children Act” aims to remedy this by developing a medical coverage program for children in Delaware who are not otherwise covered, including kids who are undocumented.

If elected, will you support legislation like the “Cover All Children Act” that ensures undocumented children are protected and cared for?

While advances in technologies have brought us many advantages and conveniences, the growing databases of personal information puts already vulnerable communities at an increased risk of civil liberties violations. This is particularly true for undocumented individuals, who are disproportionately impacted by data sharing between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and state agencies like the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Will you commit to pushing policies that will restrict unlawful information sharing between Delaware State agencies and immigration agencies?

Delaware’s Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) blocks public access to police investigations, hindering any chance of law enforcement accountability.

Will you support legislation that will amend LEOBOR to allow for police misconduct records to be made public?

Community oversight boards allow independent community members to hold police departments accountable for misconduct and breaches of duty.

Will you support legislation that will allow civilians to create local Community Oversight Boards for police departments?

Delaware’s broken probation system is a pipeline to prison, impacting individuals, families, and entire communities across the state every day.

Will you sponsor or co-sponsor legislation that will change the Department of Corrections policies and procedures to ensure that nobody on probation will be reincarcerated unless they commit a new crime?

In 2020, less than 1% of people eligible to petition for a mandatory expungement in Delaware actually received one, leaving hundreds of thousands of Delawareans in the second chance gap. The individuals, who are eligible to clear their record but unable to navigate the burdensome and costly petition process, continue to face substantial barriers due to their record, including limited access to economic opportunity, education, housing, credit and full participation in social and civic life.

Will you support legislation to eliminate the First State’s second chance gap by expanding the use of automatic expungements to cases currently eligible for Delaware’s petition-based expungement processes?

Under Delaware law, people serving a term of incarceration, probation, or parole are ineligible to receive any form of expungement, even for cases in which all charges were terminated in their favor.

Will you support a bill that allows people serving terms of incarceration, probation, or parole to expunge cases from their record that have been terminated in their favor?

Under Delaware’s expungement law, cases that qualify for mandatory expungement are not eligible to be automatically expunged if outstanding fines or fees are associated with that case. The continuing existence of a record can impose significant barriers to obtaining good-paying jobs that would better enable an individual to pay off court related debts.

Will you support a bill removing fines and fees as a barrier to expungement eligibility?

The typical cost of an abortion in Delaware is $500, and many pregnant people have additional expenses like childcare, transportation, and missed pay. For low-income people and those living paycheck-to-paycheck, this can make access to abortion difficult, if not impossible.

Will you support legislation to allow state Medicaid insurance to cover the cost of an abortion?

In 2017, Delaware codified the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in state law, in order to ensure that the right to an abortion remained protected. However, these protections could be removed through a simple majority vote and signature of the Governor.

Would you support a state constitutional amendment to explicitly protect peoples’ access to reproductive healthcare?

Black maternal mortality rates continue to increase in Delaware, with the gap in healthcare disparities widening.

Would you support the creation of a Reproductive Healthcare Equity Fund that would support the additional costs of accessing reproductive healthcare for uninsured or underinsured people, support clinical training programs, fund the expansion of the number of providers in the state, and fund training and recruitment programs for doula service providers?

In 2013, The U.S. Supreme Court struck down what had been called the “heart” of the Voting Rights Act, allowing states with histories of voter suppression to change voting laws without pre-clearance. This ruling has had disastrous consequences for Black and brown communities who are yet to achieve equal access to the ballot box.

If elected, will you champion legislation that enshrines protections from racial discrimination for voters of color at the state level?

Delaware will offer early in-person voting for the first time in the 2022 elections. The benefits of early voting include decreased Election Day stress, shorter lines, improved poll worker performance, fewer errors and voting system glitches, and increased voter accessibility and turnout.

Do you support expanding early voting programs to incorporate recommendations like a longer early voting timeframe and more early voting locations?

In Delaware, thousands of justice-involved people are disenfranchised every election. Voting allows people to remain connected to their communities, and helps facilitate the re-entry process.

Would you support legislation that allows people to vote as soon as they leave prison, regardless of the crime that a person was sentenced for?