Center for Disabilities Studies

In a new report, the Brennan Center for Justice warns that many states need to replace old or insecure voting systems quickly to be ready for the 2020 elections, but voting experts say that states need more money to do so effectively. Democrats and cybersecurity experts advocate for paper-based voting systems as cost-effective and secure – though inaccessible to voters with certain disabilities. Republicans support a more accessible, albeit more expensive, alternative called ballot-marking machines.   

Tennis player Andrew Crout of Newark, swimmer Patricia Pecora of Dover and bowler Edward Joyner of Middletown will compete for Team USA at the 2019 Special Olympics in the United Arab Emirates. The games will start March 14 and include an estimated 7,500 athletes from 192 countries.

More than 150 Delaware schools will take part in this year’s “Spread the Word” campaign, which Special Olympics Delaware’s media relations director says has evolved from its original mission – stopping use of the derogatory of the “r-word” – to emphasizing respect and inclusion. Participating schools will host events such as assemblies and banner signings promoting inclusion.

Congress is considering recently-introduced legislation that would fund Money Follows the Person, a Medicaid program providing support to individuals transitioning from institutional to home- and community-based care, for five years. In the last congressional session, the bill, which has bipartisan support, was overlooked during the contentious debate that led to the government shutdown.

A Danish study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that tracked more than 650,000 children over a 10-year period further validated the scientific consensus that receiving the MMR vaccine does not increase the likelihood of developing autism. The study’s publication comes during a time when organizations like the World Health Organization and American Academy of Pediatrics are highlighting the dangers of leaving children unvaccinated.