About
Sen. Stephanie Hansen represents the 10th Senate District, which includes Middletown, Odessa, portions of Glasgow, Bear and other communities along the western side of Southern New Castle County. As a result of redistricting, since November 2022, the 10th Senate District boundaries changed. Please see the district map on this website for the new boundaries.
Sen. Hansen grew up downstate following her family’s move from Maryland’s Eastern Shore to be closer to her father’s job at the Seaford DuPont Plant in the early 1960’s. She graduated from Seaford Senior High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Delaware, a master’s degree in earth science from the University of New Orleans, and her law degree from Widener Law School in Wilmington. She began her professional career as an environmental scientist, and later a hydrologist, at DNREC while also raising her family. After graduating from law school and passing the Delaware Bar at the age of 40 as a single parent, she went on to practice primarily environmental and administrative law for the next 19 years, retiring in 2020 to be the full-time Senator for the 10th District.
She entered public service as the founder and first president of the Frenchtown Woods Civic Association and then the multi-community Bear Glasgow Council of Civic Organizations in the early 1990s. She served as President of the Bear Glasgow Council until she was elected President of New Castle County Council and served in this capacity from 1996 to 2001.
While on County Council, she graduated cum laude from Widener University School of Law and went on to practice largely environmental and administrative law.
In early 2017, Stephanie won a special election to succeed Bethany Hall-Long, who had just been elected lieutenant governor.
Sen. Hansen quickly distinguished herself as a prolific legislator best known for her work on the opioid epidemic and a host of environmental, energy and conservation issues, including the development of the community solar legislation, prevention of native species extinction and the mitigation of harmful effects from invasive species, and her Senate sponsorship of Delaware’s Equal Rights Amendment.
She also formed the HOA Leaders Forum to assist homeowner association leaders and the 10th Senate District Multicultural Committee to help foster understanding among different cultural communities.
Sen. Hansen currently serves as chair of the Senate Environment, Energy & Transportation Committee and vice-chair of the Elections and Government Affairs Committee. She also serves as a member of the Health & Social Services, Education, Agriculture, and Joint Finance committees. She also founded and serves as the chair of the Energy Stakeholders Group, the group that has emerged as the premier group for vetting and proposing energy legislation for the State of Delaware.
She practiced environmental and administrative law in Delaware from 2001 to 2020 and served as the chair and vice-chair of the Environmental Section of the Delaware Bar at various points in her career. She retired in 2020 from her law practice to concentrate on her duties as a Senator.
Sen. Hansen and her husband David live in Middletown. She has five children and stepchildren and six grandchildren.
Family Thanksgiving 2023