Budget matters loom large on legislative session's final day

Lawmakers early Wednesday also approved a $456 million capital budget for road and construction projects, including $209 million for transportation improvements, and a $43 million grants budget that provides money to nonprofit groups, community agencies and volunteer fire companies.

Before approval of the grants package, budget committee members reversed an earlier decision to impose across-the-board cuts of 5 percent for local groups that receive money from the grants-in-aid package.

In return for Republican support on the vehicle bill, Democrats supported Republican proposals to create a "lockbox" on the transportation trust fund, prohibiting use of the new vehicle fee money to pay for operating expenses of the Department of Transportation.

The measure, which takes effect in six months, allows driving privilege cards to be issued to people who are in the country illegally and who have filed Delaware state income tax returns for the preceding two years, or who have lived in Delaware and been claimed as a dependent on a state income tax return.