Environmental initiatives. [ applause ] governor, i would like to welcome you and look forward to what you have to say in the state of the state. Thank you, mr. Speaker, Lieutenant Governor long, mr. Speaker, mr. President pro tim, members of the 150th General Assembly, members of my cabinet, distinguished members of the judiciary, invited guests and my fellow delawarians, thank you, mr. Speaker, for inviting me today. Its a great privilege, and its great to be here with all of you. Before i get started, a point of personal privilege, if i may. Were joined today by my beautiful mother ann carney. [ applause ] she always gets the loudest applause. I told her that at least there would be one person in the chamber who would be cheering for me. Not bad. She raised nine children and taught school for 30 years and is here with us today, and she will be leading the applause so keep your eye on her. Mom is here with my brothers mike and joe. Joes wife gail, my brotherinlaw who you all know brendan oneill, the state public defender, my sister claire is year as well. Thank you for joining us all. [ applause ] i also want to start with a thank you to my wife tracy for everything shes doing for our state. [ applause ] well, mr. Speaker, that makes two that get louder applause. She keeps me hum many. Finally, i would like to recognize one of my oldest friends in the legislature, senator harris mcdowell. Senator mcdowell playoffs. Senator mcdowell and i have been friends for long time and have opinion neighbors for 11 years and its been a privilege for me to be represented by him in the delaware state senate. As you all know, hell be retiring at the end of of this year. Harris is someone who has left his mark on this state in more what is that can be counted, andries also absence will be deeply find in hour neighborhoods. One more time, help me thank him for all the support. This is the first time adlesing this body as your governor, and as we start the raft year of the third term its northern to take stock, of the promises weve made and the promises weve made good on and the work we have last to do. Three years ago i promised delawarians at the end of my term our economy would be stronger. That working class and mid israel class delawarians would be better off, that there would be betterpaying jobs and that wed feel safer in our neighborhoods and in our cities, that more of our children could be graduating waiting to what come members that and the states finances would be strong and in order. Compared to when i sack office, 20,000 more people go to work every day in delaware. [ applause ] in fact, more delawarians are working than at any point in our States History, and with a Strong Economy its the right time for us to investment in our future. Most of half are these the distinguish we need to find a way to grow our Small Businesses. Last spring we started a new Grant Program which are called edge grants for short. Were already nearly awarded 1. A million in edge grants to 20 companies. One of those Business Owners is santiago rojas carbinelle with 17th Division Energy and they are battling emissions technology. He lets give him a round of applause. [ applause ] golftainer, the new private operator of the port of wilmington, is investing as much as 600 in the port. That includes a new state of the art Container Terminal at edgemoor. Iole has already signed up in addition to those opportunities and they cans, and thanks to the Delaware Prosperity Partnership there are over 1,000 new jobs in delaware and thoefr 1,000 jobs stayed here in delaware instead of moving out of state. With your help, weve invested 10 million in a new transportation infrastructure fund. When companies are deciding where to locate, well be able to move quickly and decisively to help them. Thank you, second cohen, for your help there. Delawarians also expect to be able to get to and from work quickly and safely, and thats why were investing 4. 5 billion over the next six years to modernize our roads, bridges and public transit. [ applause ] new investments in our Technology Infrastructure have already brought highspeed internet to the areas around laurel, is seaford and bridgeville where service was spotty or nonexistment before. This is also helping familyowned businesses like ellis farm which is a poultry and grain business in miscellaneousboro. Kimberly hopkins is an educating a in seiffert. Without access to highspeed interset kimberly couldnt grade papers online at night and her son with autism couldnt get his videos to buffer. Kimberly participated in our broadband pilot and is here with us today. Shes representing the thousands of sussex and Kent Countians who now is there access to this crucial 21st century technology. Kimberly, please stand and let us recognize you. [ applause ] and im told kimberlys smother a state employee. [ applause ] got that wrong. Got that. Our tech have i investments are having an impact in other ways as well this. Past year we launched delaware one stop. Its a convenient centralized platform that allows Small Businesses to easily get licensed with the state. We should also make it easier for everyday delawarians to interact with their State Government. We need a one stop for delaware citizens where you can buy your park pass, register to vote, renew your license or check for snow closures. Ive asked our chief Information OfficerJames Collins to lead a new effort to connect State Government with delawarians through technology. This will will be a gamechanger for our state. [ applause ] thank you a, james. Together weve also v. Invested in over 30 million in the high ireducation Economic Development fund. We want our colleges and universities to help drive Economic Growth in delaware. Exciting projects are already under way. At the university of delaware star campus, were helping build a National Research center for biopharmasuit calls can. It will encourage scientists and entrepreneurs to innovate right here in delaware. At delaware tech an Automotive Center in georgetown and a Training Center in middletown will help meet the Workforce Needs of our employers, and at Delaware State University they have the first and only hsbcu Aviation Program in the country, and were replacing and expanding the aircraft fleet there used to train students. I would also like to welcome dr. Tony allen who was sporin in this morning as delaware states new president. Congratulations, tony. [ applause ] y with all the know tony, dr. Allen also, excuse me, and hell be a great leader at Delaware State University. Our focus through all this has been to make delawares economy more agile, more innovative and more sustainable. At the end of three years as your governor, im pleased to report that the state of our state is strong and getting stronger. [ applause ] but were not stopping there. In my budget next week, were proposing 50 million in Capital Investments to further strengthen our economic infrastructure. These investments are designed to shift our economy into a higher gear. Many emerging companies have outgrown the experimental station or the star cuss in newark, so were investing in lab space where they can keep growing here and in delaware. Well create a Site Readiness Fund so we can quickly convert existing properties to meet the needs of prospective employers and well expand a successful edge Grant Program to encourage even more Small Businesses to grow and innovate. Our goal is simple. We Want Companies to start here, to grow here and to stay here. While strengthening our economy has been a high priority, it hasnt been our only focus. Three years ago we promised to make delawarians feel safer in their neighborhoods and our cities and towns, and thanks to representative bendz and members of the General Assembly on both sides of the aisle we passed the beau biden gun violence prevention act and another similar red flag law. The idea behind both pieces of legislation was really simple. We should keep firearms out of the hands of those intent on harming themselves or others. Family members and Mental Health providers can raise a american and a judge determines whether to intervene. Themes applause have already been used several times to date, and they help save lives. [ applause ] but we know we can do more, and i encourage every member in this chamber to support legislation that would ban socalled ghost guns and high capacity magazines. These bills are just common sense. Were also working with you to strengthen our School Safety infrastructure. Over the past two years we worked with representative jacques and representative short and others who invest 10 million in a new School Safety and security fund. Districts are training their personnel and using the latest technology to keep our children safe in school. We shouldnt lose sight of the progress weve made though. Over the last decade Violent Crime in delaware has fallen by 27 and property crime is down 25 . We know we can do better through the Family Services cabinet partner were partnering with the police chief trace and attorney general jennings in the interniche called Group Violence intervention and were talking directly to wilmingtons most vibrate offensive, were having them. We need a sed lar approach in our ski. Thank you for helping to keep our neighbors [ applause ] last year i signed an executive order to help exoffenders to more successfully reenter their communities. This year all inmates sentenced to more than a year in kurt did i get individualized plans as soon as they enter prison. The plans focus on drug treatment interest, on education and job skills. Its in all of our interests this these people leave prison weather than when they have and the commissioner is happy to continue with the improvements starting with the Health Care System it. No one is working examined the opioid enridiculous. Through the labor Health Insurance the looting anders naloxone to more than 7,000 delawarians. She and a committed group of volunteers led by our friend dr. Sandy gibney knock on doors and visit homeless encampments in the middle of the night to personally deliver naloxone. I understand dr. Gibney is with us today. Thank you for your great work [ applause ] because of the Lieutenant Governors leadership on behalf of the Health Consortium thousands of delawarians have gotten a Second Chance at life. Were also established the first overdose system of care in the nation, end anding access toss treatment for those who are ready to seek it. Theres much, much more work to do on this epidemic, but thanks to our Lieutenant Governor and dr. Walker were becoming a model for the country. [ applause ] i want to take a moment if i might to highlight the good work of my wife tracy. Tracys First Chance Initiative focuses on hunger, Early Literacy and she wanted me to encourage people in this room and outside of of this room who are working with her on these important issues. In partnership with our food bank and libraries and other nonprofits tracy is leading efforts to ensure that our children come to school ready to learn and thrive. One of the best ways to achieve that is a simple one. Give our children books, and im proud to announce [ applause ] i think she does a better job than i delivering this speech. I catch her out of the corner of my eye every now and then. She can really hammer home a line. Okay. Im off script a little bit. Im proud to announce that with the leadership of state librarian andy norman were launching a pilot of the dolly part none Imagination Library ensuring children will receive a book every month from birth to 5 years old free of charge. The program will be centered in 15 Public Libraries covering thousands of children in five school districts. Were also working with delawares pediatrician to get books to families right from the start. These efforts will help Families Build home libraries that could span generations. Through tracys efforts, weve also received a 10,000 grant to build on delawares success in promosing school breakfast. Every school in delaware that provides free lunch now offers breakfast, and were working on making food available for students in afterschool and summer programs as well so that hungry. [ applause ] there is a lot more to say about traceys First Chance Initiative, and she wanted me to tell you that she hopes to have the chance to talk to each of you directly about our work. I would recommend that you do that. Thank you, tracey, for everything that you are doing for our state. [ applause ] i think we can all agree that our children should be our focus, and there are perhaps no children more vulnerable than those in our foster care system. Midas spent several years in foster care and graduated from st. Georges. Today she is a sophomore at delaware state and president of a Campus Organization that mentors children in foster care. Midas has had to pull together the funds to pay for college, but in keeping with traceys goal of giving every child a first chance of success, were working with representatives griffith and long hurst and senators poor and lockman to help students like mida. Our proposal will be to waive tuition and fees at delaware tech, delaware state or the university of delaware for students who age out of foster care. [ applause ] i was looking for midas. There. Thank you very much for your great work. [ applause ] [ applause ] [ applause ] we are going to have you bring you back every year, mida. Nothing causes more fear or anxiety than when you or a loved one gets sick. Thanks to legislation sponsored by representative siegfried, weve reduced rates on the Affordable Care act Health Insurance marketplace by almost 20 this year. Because of that, while enrollment rates have declined in other states, we saw more than 6 increase in delawareans buying Health Insurance on the exchange. We have seen significant progress since the passage of the Affordable Care act a decade ago. Today, almost 95 of delewareans have Health Insurance, and thats a big deal. [ applause ] with the Lieutenant Governors challenge 2. 0, Lieutenant Governor is making sure children and adults are developing habits that will help both their mental and physical health. Access to Quality Health care is also about having doctors in your community, and some areas of our state we simply dont have enough physicians. And so in partnership with representative vance, we will create a Health Care Provider loan repayment program. We want to attract some of the best and brightest young doctors to areas where they are needed most in our state. A healthy delaware starts with our most basic and valuable resource. Our water. Its critical that we protect that resource for future generations. From the brandnew line to trapon, we have beautiful natural areas in our state. And we all agree that families in blades, here in dover and across our state deserve to know that the water coming out of their faucets is clean. [ applause ] thats why were partnering with representative long hurst and senator mcbride to invest 50 million in clean water. Building off of the work of senator townsends Clean Water Task force, well create a Clean Water Trust fund and well have a special focus on hard to serve lowincome communities across our state. [ applause ] taking care of our environment is one of the most important obligations that we have as elected officials. This is an historic investment that will make a big difference in the lives of delewareans, in our economy, and in our environment. I hope youll join me in supporting in proposal. [ applause ] even when youre governor, making delaware better starts with the little things. It drives my security detail crazy, but you often see me walking down the street, youll see me stopping to pick up a plastic bag or an empty bottle of soda. We have au litter problem in delaware, and im determined to stop it. [ applause ] last year, we launched the keep de litterfree campaign to get cities, towns and Community Groups on board. Secretary cohen and her team have partnered with goodwill to start what we call the work a day earn a pay program. We hire folks struggling to get back on their feet to pick up litter several d