# 31 Del. C. § 501: § Â 501. Legislative intent

> Delaware · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S501

## Section

- **Citation:** 31 Del. C. § 501
- **Heading:** § Â 501. Legislative intent
- **Jurisdiction:** Delaware
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Delaware Code / Title 31 / Chapter 5 / Section 501

## Text

It is declared to be the legislative intent that the purpose of this chapter is to promote the welfare and happiness of all of the people of this State by providing public assistance to all of its eligible needy, unemployable and distressed, that assistance shall be administered promptly and humanely with due regard for the preservation of family life and without discrimination on account of race, religion or political affiliation and that assistance shall be administered in such a way and manner as to encourage self-respect, self-dependency and the desire to be a good citizen and useful to society. It is further declared to be the legislative intent that public assistance be administered, to the extent practicable, in such a way that: private sector work is more economically attractive than public assistance; public assistance recipients exercise personal responsibility in exchange for government assistance; public assistance is transitional, not a way of life, for recipients; both parents are held responsible for supporting and parenting their children; recipients are not encouraged to have additional children while receiving public assistance; and the formation and maintenance of two-parent families is encouraged and teenage pregnancy is discouraged.

## Nearby sections

- [31 Del. C. § 501 § Â
        501. Legislative intent.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S501.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 502 § Â
        502. Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S502.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 503 § Â
        503. Eligibility for assistance; amount; method of payment [For application of this section, see 85 Del. Laws, c. 251, Â 4].](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S503.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 504 § Â
        504. Assignment and collection of support payments; powers and duties of Family Court.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S504.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 505 § Â
        505. Categories of assistance.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S505.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 506 § Â
        506. Duplication of assistance.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S506.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 507 § Â
        507. Temporary assistance to nonresidents.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S507.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 508 § Â
        508. Application for assistance.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S508.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 509 § Â
        509. Continuing eligibility.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S509.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 510 § Â
        510. Recipients to report acquisition of resources.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S510.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 511 § Â
        511. Responsibility of relatives.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S511.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 512 § Â
        512. Administration.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S512.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 513 § Â
        513. Assistance not assignable; exception.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S513.md)
- [31 Del. C. § 515 § Â
        515. Effect of change of laws or allowances.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S515.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_DE_T31_C5_S501. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.