DOVER — Lawmakers passed a variety of measures in the House of Representatives and in the Senate on Thursday.

House Bill 373, sponsored by Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, was passed by a vote of 36 for and five absent. The bill makes it clear that youth ages 14 and 15 can be employed in places where alcoholic liquors are served but cannot be involved in the sale or service of liquor.

House Bill 365, sponsored by Rep. Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear, was passed by a vote of 37 for and four absent. The bill establishes the fees that boats/ships/vessels have to pay when they set sail on Delaware waters, known as pilotage rates, for the Pilots’ Association for the Bay and River Delaware for 2023, 2024 and 2025. Now that the bill has been passed, it will await consideration in the Senate Executive Committee.

House Bill 311, sponsored by Rep. Krista Griffith, D-Fairfax, clarifies the scope and protections for people with disabilities under the Delaware Equal Accommodations Law. The bill further aligns the definitions within the scope of the law to protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination. The bill was passed by a vote of 36 for and five not voting and will now await consideration in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The final bill passed in the House of Representatives was HB 273, which aims to update Schedule I of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act by using broader language so new synthetic cannabinoids created after the bill would fall within this definition without needing to be listed. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ed Osienski, D-Newark, was passed by a vote of 37 for and 4 against and awaits consideration in the Senate Health & Social Services Committee.

In the Senate, Senate Substitution 1 to Senate Bill 4 was unanimously passed. The legislation, sponsored by Laura Sturgeon, D-Woodbrook, would require the Department of Education to maintain and publish a list of evidence-based, reading instruction curriculum for kindergarten through third grade. Under this bill, the curriculum must align with the components of literacy, known as the “science of reading” and will prompt the use of high-quality instructional materials. School districts and charter schools would be required to provide an annual report to the Department of Education regarding the new requirements and submit an annual report summarizing the information. The bill will now be sent to the House Education Committee for consideration.

In addition to these bills, Senate Concurrent Resolution 82, sponsored by Sen. Sturgeon, was also passed. The bill recognizes and supports the Department of Education’s review of the requirements for educator certification and their efforts to strengthen these requirements to include demonstrated knowledge of the “science of reading.”

The final piece of legislation passed on Thursday was House Concurrent Resolution 67, sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark, and Sen. Sturgeon. It recognizes the week of April 3 through April 9 as National Library Week in Delaware.