Councilmember Christina Henderson

Maddy summaryThis bill allows certain retail establishments and restaurants in D.C. to refuse cash payments, provided they display clear notice at the entrance or on menus. It specifically applies to retail businesses with Class C or D licenses and restaurants operating 24 hours daily or open at 3 a.m. on at least two days weekly. The policy requires written notice to customers about the cash refusal but does not mandate it for all businesses. The change is temporary, taking effect October 18, 2025, and expires 225 days after implementation. It amends existing D.C. code to permit this payment restriction without requiring cash acceptance for these specific venues.

Maddy summaryThis bill would close a 12-foot-wide, unused public alley (a "paper alley") within Lee Montessori East End campus in Ward 8. It transfers the land title to the school to enable development of a student play space in the center of its newly expanded campus. The alley currently serves no practical purpose and occupies space the school wants to use for outdoor learning and recreation. The bill follows standard procedures for closing unnecessary alleys under District law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to improve transparency and planning for recreational facilities. Specifically, it mandates DPR to publish a real-time online list of accessible playgrounds and parks (including locations and accessibility details), notify residents immediately when these facilities close, and develop a 6-year capital improvement plan starting in 2027. The plan must prioritize facility needs based on community growth and full funding estimates, while annual surveys will assess facility conditions and standardize designs. These changes directly affect DC residents, especially people with disabilities who rely on accessible recreation spaces, by ensuring predictable maintenance and equitable access to parks and playgrounds.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends two District of Columbia laws to expand which immunization guidelines healthcare providers must follow. It replaces references to "CDC guidelines" with "CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) or other designated medical/public health organizations" for both general healthcare providers (under the Health Occupations Act) and vaccination consent for minors (under the Consent for Vaccination Act). The change allows the DC Department of Health to designate additional organizations whose immunization schedules providers can use. This directly affects healthcare providers across DC and parents/guardians making vaccination decisions for minors. The amendment is an emergency measure intended to take effect immediately and last up to 90 days.

Maddy summaryThis resolution urges the District of Columbia Mayor to prioritize specialized behavioral health professionals over police for mental health crises. It directly affects DC residents experiencing behavioral health emergencies and DC government agencies like the Office of Unified Communications (OUC) and Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). Key provisions include improving call diversion to DBH helplines (targeting 90% of calls answered within 15-20 seconds by 2027), implementing "warm handoff" follow-ups, expanding mobile crisis teams to respond within 5-9 minutes, and developing community-based crisis care options to reduce hospitalizations. The resolution emphasizes trauma-informed care and community input, aiming to align behavioral health crisis response with the urgency of physical health emergencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill temporarily amends two District of Columbia laws to expand the immunization guidelines healthcare providers can follow. It replaces references to "CDC guidelines" with "CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) or a competent medical/public health organization designated by the DC Health Director." This change directly affects healthcare providers (like clinics and hospitals) and minor patients, allowing them to use approved guidelines from organizations beyond CDC, as designated by the Health Director. The amendment expires 225 days after enactment, making it a temporary adjustment to vaccination protocols.

Maddy summaryThis resolution declares an emergency to prevent a legal gap in Washington, D.C.'s health laws. It ensures continuity between two related measures: an existing emergency act (D.C. Act 26-0149) expiring December 21, 2025, and a newly approved temporary act (the Community Health Temporary Amendment Act of 2025) awaiting congressional review. The resolution allows the temporary act to take effect immediately after the emergency act expires, preventing healthcare providers from losing authority to order and administer recommended vaccines during the review period. It directly affects healthcare providers in D.C. by maintaining their legal ability to administer vaccines without interruption. The resolution itself is procedural and does not change the underlying health laws or vaccination policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill (B 26-0091) requires the District of Columbia's Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) to create a secure online portal and a standardized checklist for housing voucher applications. It directly affects DC residents applying for behavioral health housing, DBH caseworkers, and property managers. Key provisions include a real-time portal showing application status, automated reminders for deadlines, and a published checklist detailing required documents, submission timelines, and responsible parties. The bill mandates these changes to reduce processing delays, prevent document loss, and improve transparency in the housing voucher process.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates new criminal penalties for distributing AI-generated or digitally altered sexually explicit content that falsely depicts real people without their consent. It directly affects individuals who share such content, adding two offenses: a misdemeanor for standard cases and a felony for aggravated situations (like targeting minors, repeat offenses, or causing violence). Key provisions define "false sexual imagery" as AI-altered content a reasonable person would believe depicts a real person, and establish fines up to $25,000 or 2 years in prison for felony violations. The law closes gaps in current D.C. law, which previously only covered authentic non-consensual sexual images or obscene material, not AI-generated content.

Maddy summaryThe Education Reports Simplification Amendment Act of 2025 ends outdated and duplicative reporting requirements for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). It removes specific reports like annual real estate portfolio reviews and separate student enrollment censuses, and combines overlapping reports such as those on pre-kindergarten program quality. The bill also adjusts deadlines - for example, moving pre-k program reports from December 30 to May 15 - to align with when data is actually available. This reduces administrative burden so DCPS and OSSE can focus more on student outcomes rather than redundant paperwork.