Councilmember Charles Allen

Maddy summaryThis bill symbolically designates a specific section of 6th Street SW in Washington, DC, as "Zelda Fichandler Way" to honor Zelda Fichandler. The legislation formally names the stretch of road between M Street SW and the northern boundary of Lot 129 in Square 472 after her. Once approved by the Mayor and Congress, the change will appear on official maps and signage to recognize her legacy in the community.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the District of Columbia's existing prostate cancer screening laws to ensure that all health insurers cover one prostate-specific antigen test and digital rectal exam per year at no cost to the patient. The legislation specifically prohibits insurers from charging deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance for these screenings, with a narrow exception only if full coverage would disqualify someone from a high-deductible health plan. By mandating free access to these specific tests, the act aims to remove financial barriers for residents seeking routine prostate cancer screening.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies that landscape architecture services provided by licensed District of Columbia professionals or their firms are exempt from sales tax. It achieves this by updating local tax code definitions to explicitly exclude these specific services from taxable charges while keeping general landscaping activities subject to tax. The law applies only to services performed by individuals holding a valid District license or by companies that employ such licensed architects. This change ensures that the sale or charge for these specialized design services is not included in taxable transactions.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates two existing laws in Washington, D.C., to strengthen protections for historic homes and local wildlife. It adjusts the fines for violating historic preservation rules, setting a maximum of $10,000 for most infractions but raising the minimum and maximum to $10,000 and $25,000 respectively for serious cases involving demolition or major construction. Additionally, the bill requires that buildings constructed or significantly altered after January 1, 2025, use bird-friendly materials on their exterior walls to protect migratory birds. These changes directly affect property owners, developers, and the Historic Preservation Office by altering penalty structures and imposing new building standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the District of Columbia's energy laws to adjust deadlines and requirements for building energy performance standards. It extends the start dates for the second and third compliance cycles by one year and gives the Department of Energy and Environment authority to set new standards by January 1, 2028. The legislation also changes how often third-party verification occurs from every three years to every six years and requires a report on this process by April 1, 2025. Additionally, it creates exemptions for vacant or financially distressed buildings, allows for payments instead of penalties for non-compliance, and clarifies that energy upgrades are exempt from stormwater rules.

Maddy summaryThis temporary bill requires anyone testing autonomous vehicles on District of Columbia roadways to obtain a specific testing permit, with an exception for vehicles that have a human driver ready to take control. While waiting for the permit system to be fully established, companies must submit detailed electronic notices to the Department of Transportation at least 10 business days before starting tests, including information about the vehicle models, operator training, and planned locations. The law applies to all entities operating driverless cars in the District and will expire automatically after 225 days.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends several existing laws to improve accessibility, prioritize non-car transportation, and enhance community spaces in Washington, D.C. It expands the Safe at Home Program to cover modifications that improve physical access to off-street parking spaces and requires the Department of Transportation to use metrics focused on pedestrians, cyclists, and transit rather than just car traffic when planning road projects. Additionally, the act creates a new program to close three specific corridors to personal vehicles for at least 24 hours per week, with a requirement that at least one of these zones be located in neighborhoods facing issues like high traffic violence or poor air quality. The legislation also streamlines the process for holding block parties by creating an expedited application system and establishes interim safety rules for autonomous vehicle testing until a formal permit process is available.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the District of Columbia's probate laws to reduce costs and simplify the process for handling estates. It eliminates court fees for personal representatives and raises the amount of property survivors can keep without it being sold to pay debts, increasing the homestead allowance to $30,000 and the exempt property allowance to $20,000. The legislation also expands the definition of a small estate to include assets up to $80,000, allowing for a faster transfer process, while removing the exempt property allowance for adult children who were not left anything in their parents' wills. Additionally, the bill changes terminology from "standard probate" to "formal probate," shortens the public notice period required to start a case, and permits family members to nominate a specific person to manage an estate.

Maddy summaryThis temporary bill amends the laws governing the Police Complaints Board in Washington, D.C., to increase the number of board members from five to nine and allow the board's executive director to file their own complaints if they discover evidence of police misconduct that was not originally reported. Specifically, the executive director can initiate investigations into officers who fail to intervene when witnessing excessive force or fail to report violations by other officers, expanding the board's ability to address systemic issues beyond individual citizen complaints. The legislation also clarifies that certain legal provisions regarding sexual assault victims specifically apply only to those under the age of 18. All changes made by this act are set to expire 225 days after it takes effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles to temporarily waive standard renewal requirements for driver licenses and identification cards if an applicant demonstrates good cause. Under the new rules, the department head has the authority to approve exceptions based on reasons provided by the applicant, with specific procedures to be set by the agency. Additionally, the bill updates the maximum renewal period from a fixed eight years plus a short grace period to a flexible timeframe that the mayor can adjust through official rules. The changes are designed to take effect after approval and will remain in force for 225 days before expiring.