Councilmember Brooke Pinto

Maddy summaryThis emergency bill directs the District of Columbia Department of Corrections to provide free public education to young adults with disabilities who are detained in its secure facilities. The law specifically requires the agency to offer educational services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to individuals aged 18 and older until they are no longer eligible for such support. These provisions apply only to the 2023-2024 school year, after which the mandate expires unless extended. The legislation amends existing statutes to formally include this educational requirement within the department's legal responsibilities.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the District of Columbia's Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to produce a report identifying risk factors that lead youth to commit future gun violence. To support this research, the legislation authorizes the council to receive personally identifying information from various District agencies, including health records containing diagnoses and mental health treatment data for individuals under 18. The law also permits the Department of Health Care Finance to share this sensitive health information with the council specifically for analyzing criminal justice and public safety issues. These provisions are designed to enable a more comprehensive study by combining behavioral health, education, and employment data with existing criminal justice records. The act includes an emergency clause, meaning it will remain in effect for no longer than 90 days after approval.

Maddy summaryThis resolution declares an emergency to temporarily extend a law that allows District of Columbia government meetings to be held virtually while remaining open to the public. It aims to prevent a legal gap between the expiration of a previous emergency measure and the future effective date of a related temporary amendment currently under federal review. By adopting this change after a single reading, the Council ensures that public access to government proceedings continues without interruption during the transition period.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new legal guardianship program for unmarried noncitizens between the ages of 18 and 21 in the District of Columbia. It allows the Family Division of the Superior Court to appoint guardians when a youth's parents cannot be reunited with them due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, or similar circumstances, and when returning the youth to their home country is not in their best interest. The law establishes specific rules for filing petitions, conducting hearings, and defining the rights and responsibilities of these appointed guardians. Additionally, the bill updates existing court procedures to ensure that notices regarding these new guardianship cases are properly published.

Maddy summaryThis resolution declares a legislative emergency to prevent a gap in special education services for young adults held in the District of Columbia's Department of Corrections. It authorizes the Department of Corrections to immediately provide free, appropriate public education to these individuals under federal and local laws while a previous temporary measure is under federal review. By allowing the new emergency amendment to pass quickly, the bill ensures continuous educational support for detained youth during the transition period before the temporary act becomes permanent.

Maddy summaryThis bill symbolically renames a specific block of Church Street, NW, in Washington, D.C., between 15th and 16th Streets, to "St. Luke's Way." The change is purely honorary and does not alter street signs, maps, or legal addresses. Once approved by the Mayor and Congress, the new name will apply only to that short section of the street.

Maddy summaryThis bill symbolically renames a specific section of a public alley in Square 0179 as "Annie's Way" and removes the previous symbolic designation from that same location. The change applies only to the official name of the alley and does not alter any physical boundaries, ownership rights, or legal status of the property. By repealing the 2014 version of the act, the legislation ensures that the new designation is the current official name for this portion of the alley system.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024, creates a new Safe Commercial Corridors Program to improve public safety in the District of Columbia. Under this program, the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice can provide grants to eligible organizations that serve commercial districts and maintain public spaces. These organizations must submit detailed plans outlining how they will use funds for evidence-based activities such as community relationship-building, crime deterrence, harm reduction for substance use, and security improvements for businesses. To receive funding, applicants must also provide a Clean Hands certification and agree to coordinate with other grant recipients while sharing results annually. The act aims to support a range of safety strategies including safe passage to transit, de-escalation techniques, and culturally competent services for residents, workers, and visitors.

Maddy summaryThis resolution addresses a legal gap that prevents unmarried immigrant youth aged 18 to 21 in the District of Columbia from obtaining Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a federal visa that offers critical protections and benefits. To fix this, the bill amends local laws to allow the Superior Court to appoint guardians for these vulnerable youth and to issue necessary court orders required for federal visa applications. Additionally, the legislation permits serving legal documents by publication instead of personal service in specific cases and removes filing fees for guardianship petitions. This emergency measure is designed to bridge the time between the expiration of a previous temporary law and the final approval of a permanent version of the bill.

Maddy summaryThis resolution declares an emergency to temporarily extend laws that allow the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to receive sensitive information about youth gun violence risk factors. It specifically authorizes the sharing of health, human services, and mental health records with the council to help them complete their report. The measure is designed to prevent a legal gap between the expiration of temporary emergency rules and the start of a permanent version of the same laws.