DELAWARE– A proposed bill looks to close a legal gap one state lawmaker says contributed to a violent attack across Sussex and Wicomico Counties in 2023.
Delaware’s Senate unanimously passed SB 292 on May 18, advancing the “Grace Peterson Act” to the house for consideration.
The measure is named for a Seaford woman who was carjacked, kidnapped, robbed, assaulted and left bound in the Wicomico River in 2023, when she was 80 years old.
The man convicted in the attack, 26-year-old Ralph Harmon, of Salisbury, Maryland, is now serving life plus 60 years behind bars.
The bill’s primary sponsor, State Sen. Stephanie Hansen (D), says Harmon was evicted from the House of Mercy in Seaford before committing the attack. She argues a legal gap allowed Harmon to go unhoused and without a formal discharge plan.
“This situation certainly wasn't fair to Mrs. Peterson, or to the man in reentry housing who was evicted with no discharge plan or warm hand-off that would have prevented this violent attack,†Sen. Hansen said. “We must make sure that landlords who receive State reentry funds are playing an active role in their tenants’ next steps, which will bolster the safety of all communities in Delaware.â€
If passed, the bill would take effect in six months, requiring landlords accepting such funds to develop discharge and housing plans before terminating leases for individuals released from state custody.
Certified recovery houses would be exempt, according to the bill text.
Violations would result in a one-year ban on receiving state reentry funds and possible consumer fraud penalties outlined in the Delaware Code.
The bill is currently under consideration by Delaware’s House of Representatives Housing Committee.
