Valerie Longhurst was first elected to the Delaware House of Representatives in November 2004 to represent the 15th District. The district consists of approximately 20,000 people living in Bear, Delaware City and St. Georges. She is the proud mom of Peyton and Andrew, pictured above. In 2008, she was elected as the House Majority Whip and served for four years. After the 2012 election, her caucus elected her House Majority Leader. Rep. Longhurst is currently chair of the House Administration, Ethics and Rules committees. She is also the former chair and a current member of the Manufactured Housing Committee.
Rep. Longhurst has advocated for a variety of common-sense gun safety measures in Delaware. First by sponsoring legislation adding Delaware to the National Instant Background Check System, then by fighting to expand background check requirements for gun purchases to include straw purchases and gun shows, by closing the “Charleston Loophole”, and finally by supporting protections for victims of domestic and intimate partner violence. In the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting, Delaware was the only state aside from Connecticut to pass additional gun safety measures in the state legislature. Rep. Longhurst continued the effort by passing legislation to outlaw untraceable firearms in Delaware, also known as “Ghost Guns,” as well as devices designed to increase a weapon’s rate of fire, including so-called “bump stocks.”
Rep. Longhurst has been a dedicated champion of women’s equality in the workplace, justice system and healthcare system. During the 148th General Assembly, she spearheaded a package of 14 bills to address real issues impacting women. Equal pay activist and icon Lilly Ledbetter attended the signing ceremony for these bills and praised this work which included protections for victims of sexual assault, banning wage secrecy and discrimination against women for reproductive health decisions. Rep. Longhurst led the charge in the 149th and 150th General Assemblies to pass an Equal Rights Amendment to Delaware’s state Constitution, continuing the legacy of women across the nation who have fought for decades to enact a federal ERA.
Throughout her legislative career, Rep. Longhurst has been an advocate for better access to high-quality mental and behavioral health services in Delaware. From recognizing the dedicated individuals on the front lines by creating a Behavioral Health Professional of the Year Award, to organizing a task force to acknowledge and tackle the state’s behavioral health crisis, Rep. Longhurst is working hard to increase awareness of the need for these services at all levels. She has made special effort to fight for the needs of children when it comes to mental and behavioral health, passing legislation that made suicide prevention training mandatory for Delaware teachers and, in the 151st General Assembly, creating a funding unit to ensure every elementary school in the state can employ a qualified mental health professional.
In addition to her responsibilities in the House Majority Caucus, she plays an important role in many local and national organizations and initiatives, including:
- Chair of the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Task Force
- Vice-Chair of the Statewide Afterschool Initiative Learning Task Force
- Vice-Chair of the Firearm Suicide Prevention Task Force
- Vice-Chair of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
- Delaware Commission on Interstate Cooperation member
- National Conference of State Legislators – Revenue and Budget Standing Committee member and Women’s Network Advisory Council member
- Bear-Glasgow Family YMCA Board member
- Police Action League Board member
- Delaware Sports Commission Advisory Council member
She has previously served as Chair of the Speech-Language Pathologists Task Force, Child Mental Health Study Group member, Lottery & Gaming Study Commission member.
Prior to becoming a Legislator, she volunteered for local organizations, including:
- Community Advisory Panel member for Delaware City Refinery
- Delaware support group leader for National Alopecia Areata Foundation
- board member, softball commissioner and coach for Bear Babe Ruth Little League
- President of Emerald Ridge Maintenance Corporation