This bill confirms Gabrielle Parsons as a new member of the District of Columbia's Racial Equity Advisory Board, filling a vacancy left by Charles Wilson. The resolution officially appoints Parsons, an expert in diversity and inclusion with experience in corporate and educational settings, to serve on the board until December 17, 2026. By adopting this confirmation, the Council formalizes Parsons' role within the advisory body established by the Racial Equity Achieves Results Amendment Act of 2020. The document serves as a procedural step to complete the Mayor's nomination process and transmit the appointment to the relevant offices.
The Consumer Health Information Privacy Protection Act of 2024 establishes new privacy rules for companies in the District of Columbia that collect, share, or sell personal health data, filling gaps left by federal HIPAA regulations which currently only cover hospitals and insurers. The bill requires these regulated entities to publish clear privacy policies, obtain explicit consumer consent before gathering data, and limit data usage strictly to the purposes originally disclosed to the individual. It also grants consumers the right to access their data, withdraw consent, demand deletion of their information, and mandates that any sale of health data requires a separate, valid authorization. Additionally, the legislation prohibits the creation of geofences around health service locations and classifies violations as unfair trade practices.
The Fair Housing Practices Amendment Act of 2024 aims to protect renters in the District of Columbia by banning landlords from charging separate fees for utilities used in common building areas like hallways or gyms. This change ensures that costs for shared spaces are included in the base rent rather than billed additionally to tenants regardless of their usage. The bill also introduces stricter rules for handling unpaid rent or damages when a tenant moves out, requiring landlords to notify renters within 45 days and provide proof of the debt at least 60 days before sending it to a collection agency. These provisions are designed to increase transparency in lease agreements and prevent unexpected charges that could negatively impact a tenant's credit history.
This bill approves new regulations for the District of Columbia's Large Capital Grants Program, which provides funding for significant arts and humanities facility improvements or purchases. To qualify, applicants must be nonprofit organizations with a primary mission in the arts or humanities that have operated in the District for at least one year. The program is designed for larger projects, offering grants between $900,000 and $1,500,000 to facilities with a tax valuation of at least $1 million. Eligible recipients must either own the property or hold a lease with at least 30 years of occupancy history and a minimum of seven years remaining. The resolution establishes these eligibility and disbursement rules to ensure the program's equity, transparency, and long-term sustainability.
The Public School Health Services Amendment Act of 2024 requires all public and public charter schools in the District of Columbia to provide a minimum of 30 hours of nursing coverage per week during the school year and summer school. This law ensures that every school has nursing staff regardless of whether it participates in the DC Health School Health Services Program, addressing gaps where some schools previously lacked coverage. The bill also mandates that schools request nursing services by October 31st to aid planning, requires DC Health to offer technical assistance to non-participating schools, and establishes a rule for DC Health to publish data on nursing coverage. Additionally, the legislation allows for a cluster nursing model where licensed practical nurses and other health professionals work under the supervision of a registered nurse to meet these requirements.
This bill amends the District of Columbia's Certificate of Need process to reduce administrative burdens on healthcare providers while maintaining oversight of health equity and uncompensated care. It exempts digital telehealth platforms and standalone primary or specialist clinics from the standard review, requiring only a registration process instead. The legislation also updates the rules by mandating biennial threshold reviews for capital spending, extending project timelines for active construction, and raising the bed-count trigger for new certificates. Additionally, it clarifies definitions for group practices and excludes non-patient care projects like elevator or HVAC upgrades from the review process.
The Resilient and Energy Efficient Historic Properties Amendment Act of 2024 updates rules for the Historic Preservation Review Board to ensure it considers energy and water efficiency upgrades as compatible with historic districts. This legislation directly affects homeowners, developers, and business owners in the District's 70 historic districts by allowing them to install solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations, heat pumps, and other efficiency improvements without automatic denial. While the Board retains the power to suggest alternative designs that provide similar energy benefits, it must now approve these critical climate upgrades rather than rejecting them solely based on their appearance. The changes apply only to properties within historic districts and do not affect individually designated historic landmarks.
This bill establishes a Deferred Retirement Option Program in the District of Columbia that allows eligible sworn police and fire employees to continue working while collecting supplemental retirement payments. Under the new program, qualifying members who meet standard retirement requirements can elect to participate for up to three years, during which they receive monthly deposits into a separate interest-bearing account based on what their full retirement pension would have been. The funds are drawn from the existing Police and Firefighters' Retirement Fund, and participants can withdraw their account balance as a lump sum, roll it over to another plan, or purchase an annuity once they stop working. Additionally, the legislation specifies that members on certain types of medical leave must exit the program after 120 days, and it outlines the rules for how unused sick leave is handled during the participation period.
This bill, known as the Weekend Equal Access to Swimming Amendment Act of 2023, requires the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation to keep all publicly owned indoor swimming pools open for at least one day each weekend. The legislation mandates that these facilities operate during weekends in a manner consistent with their existing morning and evening hours. By adding a new provision to the relevant city code, the bill ensures year-round public access to these aquatic centers on Saturdays or Sundays.
This bill requires the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation to offer priority registration for its summer programs one week before public registration opens. Residents living within one mile of a community center, recreation center, or program location would be eligible to register online or in person during this early window. The law applies to all locations hosting programs and aims to give nearby residents an early opportunity to sign up before the general public.
This bill requires the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services to implement stronger security measures to protect staff identification badges and mandates that youth under 18 face elevated identity theft charges if they steal these badges. Under the new rules, the department must report any theft incidents to law enforcement, maintain records of such offenses, and provide training to both staff and residents on safeguarding personal information. Additionally, the Metropolitan Police Department will keep track of these cases and regularly update the department on investigation outcomes.
The Youth Peer Mediation Act of 2024 requires the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation to create a program where trained youth mediate conflicts among their peers within the Roving Leaders initiative. Under this bill, selected Roving Leaders and other youth will receive comprehensive training in conflict resolution and communication, and they will be paid a stipend for their work as mediators. The Department must also provide annual reports to the Council detailing the training curriculum and data on how the program is used and received by participants.
