On Tuesday, November 13, 2018, the DC Council convened a Committee of the Whole meeting immediately followed by the thirty-second legislative meeting. As expected, the agendas for both meetings were robust. As the Council nears the end of the Council Period 22, Council Committees are actively working to move bills out of Committee to make sure they receive the required two votes prior to the last legislative session. Any legislative items that are not acted upon prior to the end of the Council Period, “die” due to lack of activity and must be re-introduced in the next Council Period. Please note the Council’s below schedule for the remainder of the year.
Committee of the Whole Meeting dates:
• November 20, 2018
• December 18, 2018
Legislative Meetings:
• November 20 or 27, 2018 (Additional)
• December 4, 2018 (Regular)
Some of the items the Council considered on Tuesday are:
Consent Agenda – First Reading and Vote
- Leaf Blower Regulation Amendment Act of 2018 (B22-234) – approved
- Healthy Students Amendment Act of 2018 (B22-313) – approved
- Structured Settlements and Automatic Renewal Protections Act of 2018 (Previously Consumer Disclosure Act of 2017) (Bill 22-20) – approved
- Driver’s License Revocation Fairness Amendment Act of 2018 (B22-618) – approved
- Electronic Proof of Automobile Insurance Amendment Act of 2018 (Bill 22-740) – approved
- Breast Density Screening and Notification Amendment Act of 2018 (B22-960) – approved
- Internet Sales Tax Amendment Act of 2018 (B22-914) – CM Silverman expressed opposition and voted no; approved by majority
- Approval of the Comcast of the District, LLC Cable Television System Franchise Act of 2018 (Bill 22-917) – approved
- Approval of Starpower Communications Open Video System Franchise Act of 2018 (Bill 22-928) – approved
Non-Consent Agenda – First Reading and Vote
- Youth Vote Amendment Act of 2018 (B22-778) – CM Evans moved a motion to table the bill (Bonds, Cheh, Evans, McDuffie, Mendelson, Todd, T. White support CM Evans’) the motion passed; bill is tabled
- East End Health Equity Amendment Act of 2018 (B22-959) – CM Evans’ amendment to strike the Certificate of Need exemption for a new tower at GW Hospital in Foggy Bottom failed 10-3 (Silverman, Mendelson and Evans); CM Evans opposed the measure; bill approved
Non-Consent Agenda – Reading and Vote on Emergency Legislation at the Request of the Mayor
- Health Insurance Marketplace Improvement Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2018 – CM Gray moved an amendment that was unanimously approved. Legislation, as amended, was approved unanimously by voice vote.
With the end of the Council Period quickly approaching, the number of newly introduced bills has significantly decreased, though not abated.
Councilmember David Grosso
PR22-1128 - Sense of the Council in Support of Transgender, Intersex, and Gender Non-Conforming Communities Resolution of 2018
To declare a sense of the Council that the District in support of the human rights and inherent dignity of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals and in opposition to proposed changes to federal interpretations of gender.
Co-Introducers: R. White, Allen, Gray, Silverman, Nadeau, Evans, Cheh, Bonds, McDuffie
Co-Sponsors: Mendelson
Committee-Referral: Retained by the Council
Councilmember Charles Allen
B22-1038 - Vision Zero Enhancement Amendment Act of 2018
As introduced, the bill would give the Mayor clear authority to implement and empower many of the proposed Vision Zero policies proposed in the past few weeks. The Bill also proposes several additional measures: • It would reduce the speed limit in all areas zoned for residential use to 20 miles per hour; • It would prohibit right turns on red within a half mile of a school; and • It would authorize towing a vehicle that is blocking a bicycle lane. Finally, the bill creates a pilot program, "Citizen Bike Safety Enforcement Pilot Program," authorizing DC DDOT to create a training program and an app allowing up to 10 DC residents to photograph vehicles blocking bicycle lanes, and that photograph would be used to issue a citation.
Co-Introducers: Grosso
Co-Sponsors: Gray, Silverman, Nadeau
Committee-Referral: Committee on Transportation and the Environment
B22-1037 - Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Establishment Amendment Act of 2018
As introduced, the bill creates a DC Office on Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The bill would also require all agencies to submit a plan for approval by the new ODHH, outlining how the agency ensures that all of its programming are accessible to the Deaf and hard of hearing. The motivation behind the measure comes as a result of two newly elected ANC commissioners who are deaf highlighting the fact that the city's accessibility for deaf and hard of hearing residents needs improvement.
Co-Introducers: Grosso
Co-Sponsors: Gray, Nadeau, R. White
Committee-Referral: Committee on Health with comments from the Committee on Human Services
Councilmember Brianne Nadeau
PR22-1129 - Sense of the Council Supporting Passage of the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act Resolution of 2018
To declare the sense of the Council in support of calling upon Congress to pass Victims of Lynching Act of 2018.
Co-Introducers: Cheh, Gray, R. White, Evans, T. White, McDuffie, Silverman, Allen, Bonds, Todd, Grosso, Mendelson
Co-Sponsors:
Committee-Referral: Retained by the Council
B22-1035 - Direct Support Professionals Payment Rate Act of 2018
As introduced, the bill will provide for an annual payment to certain providers of direct supports to persons with developmental disabilities, to require the Director of Health Care Finance to consider certain factors in recommending the amount of payment, and to establish eligibility standards for a provider to receive payment.
Co-Introducers: Silverman, Grosso, Gray
Co-Sponsors: Bonds
Committee-Referral: Committee on Health with comments from the Committee on Human Services
B22-1036 - The Development Expertise for ANCs Amendment Act of 2018
As introduced, the bill will amend the Comprehensive Advisory Neighborhood Commissions Reform Amendment Act of 2000 to establish a Planned Unit Development Office in the Office of the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions to assist Commissioners in PUD negotiations and maximize the amount of affordable housing units in residential PUD projects, and to require a public database of community benefits contained in approved PUDs and the status of their delivery.
Co-Introducers: Gray, Silverman, R. White, Grosso
Co-Sponsors: Allen
Committee-Referral: Committee of the Whole with comments from the Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization
Councilmember Vince Gray
B22-1034 - Controlled Substance Testing Temporary Amendment Act of 2018
As introduced in the Office of the Secretary as a temporary, emergency (B22-1033) and emergency declaration resolution (PR22-1127), the bill will amend, on a temporary basis, the Drug Paraphernalia Act of 1982 to permit persons testing personal use quantities of a controlled substance to use, or possess with the intent to use, testing equipment.
Co-Introducers:
Co-Sponsors:
Committee-Referral: Retained by the Council
Chairman Mendelson at the Request of the Mayor
PR22-1125 - Zoning Infractions Amendment Approval Resolution of 2018
As introduced on November 8, 2018, the resolution would approve of a rulemaking to amend section 3312 of the civil infractions schedules, and to add a new section 3315, to reflect the updated and more comprehensive zoning regulations. Current Status: PR22-1125 deemed approved on Dec 14, 2018.
Co-Introducers:
Co-Sponsors:
Committee-Referral: Committee of the Whole