Newsroom

We’re already more than halfway through October! Happy almost Halloween and almost Election Day! I hope you’re planning out your costumes and dropping those ballots off in the mail (see here for the list of drop boxes)...or planning to drop off your ballot in your costume if you’re really into the season. And of course, starting October 26th, I hope you'll join me in participating in the annual Halloween Literary Walk! Check out a map here.

A Vote is Scheduled on Recommendations from Independent D.C. Commission to Modernize, Organize, and Clarify DC’s Criminal Code for First Time Since 1901 

It’s October! And I’ve got good news to share: Hilloween is back (see old photo of me dressed as a councilmember with a princess), among a host of fun events happening this month. As I’ve mentioned in recent newsletters, we’re in the final stretch to get bills passed at the Council this session.

Today, the full DC Council will hold a vote on nine bills passed out of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, chaired by Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward 6). Unless otherwise noted, these bills were on the consent agenda, which doesn’t have debate and passes unanimously. Below is a brief summary of some of those bills with links to more information.

Includes Banning Use of Race and Gender to Reduce Civil Damages, Permanent Vote-By-Mail, Non-Citizen Voting Rights, Power of Attorney Reform, and More 

Today, the DC Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment will meet at 3 p.m. to vote on Councilmember Charles Allen’s Metro for DC bill, which would allow all DC residents to sign up for a recurring monthly balance of $100 on their SmarTrip cards and dedicate at least $10 million annually to improving and expanding bus and transit service in the District. 

Today, the DC Council will vote on emergency legislation from Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen to give DC’s Department of For-Hire Vehicles authority to enforce traffic violations by app-based food, beverage, and parcel delivery services such as Uber Eats, Grubhub, and others.

The weather is (sort of) cooling down, the kids are back in school, our local coffee shops are breaking out the pumpkin drinks, and fall is just around the corner! Fall also means the legislative calendar at the Council kicks into full gear, because the current Council session ends December 31, and all bills that are going to pass need to do so by then. So it’s going to be a heavy legislative sprint to the end, and you’ll find the latest in the newsletters as they happen. If you want to learn more about the Council work coming up this fall, take a look at this roundup from DCist, which first highlights my Metro for DC bill. Of course, life in Ward 6 is also picking up – don’t miss the H Street Festival this Saturday and Art All Night next week at Eastern Market. So let’s jump into a long newsletter. Feel free to use the quick links to hop around. And as always, you can reply to this email or reach me or my team here with any issues.

Bills Address Black Families’ Land Loss in Division of Property and Waives Court Fees for Low-Income Residents 

Bill Includes Expansion of Crime Victim Compensation, Creating Crime Victim Counselors, Growing Hospital-Based Violence Intervention, New Tool to Help MPD Fight Stalking and Harassment