About The Lt. Governor's Office

Duties

The constitutional duties of the Lieutenant Governor are President of the Senate and President of the Board of Pardons. The office also handles constituent service work.

The duties and activities of the Lieutenant Governor and staff include the following:

DELAWARE STATE SENATE
The first of two constitutional duties of the Lt. Governor is to preside over the Delaware State Senate which consists of 21 senators. The Lt. Governor only casts a vote when a tie must be broken. The State Senate is in session from the second Tuesday in January through June 30.

BOARD OF PARDONS
The second constitutional duty of the Lt. Governor is to chair the Board of Pardons. As the President of the Board of Pardons it is the Lt. Governor’s responsibility to preside over the monthly pardon hearings and present the Board’s recommendations to the Secretary of State who then notifies the Governor’s Office of the Board’s recommendation. The Governor cannot grant a pardon or commutation in the absence of a recommendation from the Board of Pardons. The Governor is not bound to accept the recommendation of the Board, but exercises an independent judgment in all cases.

DELAWARE HEALTH CARE COMMISSION
Lt. Governor Carney serves as Chair of the Delaware Health Care Commission which is an independent, public body, that reports to the Governor and the General Assembly, and works to promote accessible, affordable, quality health care for all Delawareans.

STATE BUDGET COMMISSION
As a member of the State Budget Commission Lt. Governor Carney reviews agency requests for funding presented to the Commission as prescribed by the laws of Delaware. In addition, the Budget Commission advises the Governor and the Budget Director concerning all of the powers and duties vested in the office of the Budget Director, specifically including the preparation of the proposed budget as set forth in subsections 6333 and 6334 of Title 29 of the Delaware Code.

DELAWARE CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
Since its inception in 1995 the Delaware Center for Educational Technology (DCET) has worked closely with educators to create a telecommunications infrastructure that is unparalleled in this country. Delaware was the first state to provide high-speed Internet access to each public school and each public school classroom. DCET continues that tradition with its ongoing effort and commitment to provide educators with the resources necessary to bring the information highway to the off-ramp in the classroom.

NATIONAL LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION
Lt. Governor Carney is the chairman of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) Executive Committee. Organized in 1962, NLGA is the professional association for the elected officials who are next in line of succession to the governors in the 50 states and five territorial jurisdictions of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NLGA provides members the opportunity for networking, meeting, fostering interstate cooperation, and promoting the effectiveness of the Office of Lieutenant Governor.

LIVABLE DELAWARE
Livable Delaware addresses sprawl, congestion and other growth issues through legislation and policy changes that will direct growth to areas where the state, counties and local governments have planned for it to occur. In addition to directing state agencies to outline what program, policy, budgetary and legislative changes are required to make Livable Delaware a reality, Governor Minner created a new Advisory Council on Planning Coordination. The Council, chaired by Lt. Governor Carney, includes representatives of county and local governments and others with a stake in growth and land-use issues. The Council has several key responsibilities under Livable Delaware, including: Developing a graduated impact fee structure; developing annexation standards; approving and monitoring "Livability Indicators" to measure intergovernmental progress toward curbing sprawl; and facilitating dispute resolution among levels of government.

THE STATE EMPLOYEES CHARITABLE CAMPAIGN
Lt. Governor Carney serves as the The State Employees Charitable Campaign’s (SECC) Honorary Chair. The SECC is an annual fund-raising drive in which state employees raise thousands of dollars that benefit many local non-profit charitable organizations. These charities fight disease, help the impoverished, and train people to become more self-sufficient. By promoting and supporting philanthropy through the employee-focused, cost-efficient SECC, state employees provide the opportunity to improve the quality of life of all Delawareans.

INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON ADULT LITERACY
As the Chair of the Interagency Council on Adult Literacy (ICAL), Lt. Governor Carney carries on the tradition of past Lt. Governors by guiding ICAL toward their goal: By 2010, every adult Delawarean will have access to a high-quality, coordinated system of learning services that will enable them to make measurable gains toward achieving their goals and responsibilities as family members, workers, community members and lifelong learners.

DELAWARE RIVER AND BAY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
The Delaware River and Bay Oversight Committee, of which Lt. Governor Carney is a member, was established to study and report to the General Assembly on various matters concerning the operation, prevention, and preparedness of hazardous substance transfer vessels in the Delaware River and Bay.

UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN CABINET COMMITTEE
Since 1946, United Way of Delaware and thousands of volunteers and contributors have helped to ensure that all Delawareans receive crucial programs and services necessary to improve their health and well-being. The United Way Campaign Cabinet Committee

United Way of Delaware, and the more than 100,000 people who contribute to it, touch the lives of one in three Delawareans through 179 programs and services operated by United Way’s 110 member agencies, and through hundreds more agencies that receive gifts designated by United Way contributors.

SAFE KIDS DELAWARE
Lt. Governor Carney serves as Honorary Chair of SAFE KIDS Delaware. SAFE KIDS Delaware is a division of the SAFE KIDS Worldwide Campaign which is the first and only national organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury – the number one killer of children ages 14 and under.

WILMINGTON'S HOPE COMMISSION
Lt. Governor Carney serves as a co-chair of the Wilmington Hope Commission. The Hope Commission was established by Wilmington Mayor, James Baker, to identify, review, and act on the social and community issues related to instances of crime and/or violence in some areas of the City. A panel of 25 Executive Committee members and associated Sub-committee members will develop a Wilmington plan. This plan will address real problems with real solutions and change the behavior, attitudes, actions, and beliefs of persons who engage in criminal or violent behavior.