Two bills by Councilmember Allen ready for Council vote: creating Maternal Mortality Review Committee and protecting injured MPD officers’ jobs

Today, the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety voted to send three pieces of legislation to the full Council.

The Maternal Mortality Review Committee Establishment Act of 2018 would create a committee to review all pregnancy-related and pregnancy-associated deaths in the District of Columbia, from before, during, and in the year-after giving birth. The bill, introduced by Councilmember Allen, aims to analyze and intervene in the District’s high maternal mortality rate. DC’s rate is more than double that of the US, which has a rate far higher than any other industrialized nation.

“Maternal mortality rates in the District indicate nothing short of a maternal health crisis. The District’s maternal mortality rate is far higher than in neighboring jurisdictions and the United States as a whole,” said Councilmember Allen. “Getting a maternal mortality review committee up and running is the first step to charting a path forward and saving women’s lives.

The Injured Metropolitan Police Officer Relief Amendment Act of 2018 was introduced by Councilmember Charles Allen to allow injured MPD officers to continue to serve in an administrative capacity if their injuries prevent them from returning to full-duty service. Currently, officers are forced into early retirement, even if they’d like to continue serving. The issue was brought to light by Officer Sean Hickman, who was intentionally struck by a vehicle in 2013, permanently damaging his leg. He took a different position and has expressed he would like to continue serving the Department and District residents.

“This is a bill closing an unfortunate gap in the law. Our fire and EMS personnel have similar policies in place that allow men and women injured in the line of duty to continue to serve their community,” said Councilmember Allen. “The last thing we want is for an outdated policy to force out a good, hardworking officer like Officer Hickman.”

The third piece of legislation was the Commission on Human Rights Clifton Lewis Confirmation Resolution of 2018. All three measures now head to the full Council for a first vote on February 6.

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