State lawmakers who oppose Governor Matt Meyer's line-item veto of funding in the capital budget for Legislative Hall improvements are weighing their options.
The $35-million vetoed by the Governor Tuesday would have cleared the path for a total of $116-million on Legislative Hall expansion - an expense that Meyer said he could not justify.
Wednesday, several legislative leaders said the veto showed disregard for safety and accessibility concerns at the building. Six Democratic caucus leaders and one Republican - House Minority Leader Tim Dukes of Laurel - released a joint statement Wednesday, stating that because they learned about the Governor's veto within minutes of his public announcement, "we are still considering our path forward on this matter."
Co-chair of the Joint Capital Improvement Committee Representative Debra Heffernan, D-Bellefonte, North Wilmington, said the funding allocation would have helped to address security shortcomings identified by Capitol Police in 2021.
"They had held conversations with security consultants and even the FBI to incorporate into the building design. There were currently security weak points that needed to be updated," Heffernan said.
Access for persons with disabilities who use a wheelchair or other device to get around are only able to get in by approaching a locked door on the opposite side of the building from the screening area.
Heffernan added that lawmakers have been happy about increased public participation in legislative activities, noting that in the first half of 2026 Legislative Hall drew more than 32,000 visitors. On June 30th alone, there were nearly 1,500 visitors.
"But, the meeting rooms for committees are often overcrowded and people are standing in the halls," Heffernan said. "It's the people's house, but we don't have great access for all of the people that are interested to come to committee meetings to watch."
Heffernan also said plans for the expansion had gone through three rounds of public vetting - the building committee, legislative counsel as well as the Joint Capital Improvement Committee.
Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, D-Newark; House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, D-New Castle; Senate Majority leader Bryan Townsend, D-Newark, Glasgow; House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris, D-Dove;, Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth "Tizzy" Lockman, D-Wilmington; House Majority Whip Ed Osienski, D-Newark; and House Minority Leader Tim Dukes, R-Laurel; issued this joint statement Wednesday:
“We agree with the chairs of the Joint Capital Improvement Committee: we are not only disappointed to see the Governor unilaterally reject a plan that has now gone through three separate public committee processes, but for ignoring the recommendations of our local law enforcement to make long overdue security enhancements to Legislative Hall.
“We owe it to the tens of thousands of members of the public who visit us each year — as well as our staff and our fellow legislators — to ensure that the People’s House is a safe place for everyone. To characterize Legislative Hall as simply a “government office” sells short the critical work of the legislature and its reliance on public participation as the bedrock of its success.
“The decision to include a $35 million authorization in the FY 27 bond bill came after we proactively announced a temporary pause on the expansion plans that would have commenced this year, delaying the implementation of guidance we received from state and federal law enforcement and the formal recommendations of the Legislative Building Committee.
“This committee — which was established by a unanimous vote of the legislature in 2021 — is made up of nonpartisan staff members from the Office of the Controller General and Division of Legislative Services, the Chief of Capitol Police, a designee from all four legislative caucuses, and other staff and members of the public. Following multiple years of public meetings, the Building Committee issued a report outlining the reasons to expand the footprint of our state capitol building, citing the many public safety considerations coming from Capitol Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a third-party security risk assessment firm that they had consulted.
“Beyond our security concerns, we have also heard from our constituents for many years about major accessibility issues for people with disabilities. The building’s only wheelchair-accessible entrance is a locked door on the opposite side of the building from our security screening area. This is unacceptable. The legislature believes that a disability should not limit your ability to participate fully in the governance of this state, and our infrastructure does not currently reflect that. The years of careful planning that were put into these plans center the lived reality of so many Delawareans. We hope the Governor will take the time to acknowledge that this is not simply a matter of convenience, and work with us on improving accessibility and safety for all.
“Design plans for the expansion have blended both the accessibility and public safety recommendations from the Building Committee to allow for a more cohesive and thorough process for screening visitors upon entry.
“This is not a vanity project. It’s about maximizing public participation in the democratic process while keeping people safe. Because we learned about the Governor’s veto within minutes of his public announcement yesterday, we are still considering our path forward on this matter.”
