Ward 5 CM McDuffie's Report dated 10-13-2016 - give your input and help updated the DC Comprehensive Plan

From: Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie [mailto:KMcDuffie@public.govdelivery.com]
Sent: Friday, October 14, 2016 8:26 AM
Subject: The Ward 5 Report - October 13 - Join us as we recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Get CM McDuffie's report on what's going on in Ward 5 and the DC Government

October 14, 2016   John A Wilson Building 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Suite 506 (202) 724-8028 The Ward 5 Report Dear Residents, This week I introduced a ceremonial resolution to honor October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Nearly one in four women and one in seven men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. We are all impacted by domestic violence, and it is the responsibility of everyone in our community to promote safety, respect and accountability. This October, join us to act, celebrate and share. I invite you to join one of the events happening all month long, or contribute by raising awareness in other ways. Celebrate and uplift the healthy relationships in your life. Share the resources and information with your community. It only takes a few minutes - maybe seconds - to share something that will spark a conversation. It is all of our responsibility to make our community safe. We can spread love and prevent domestic violence. Check out www.SpreadLoveDC.org or join the conversation on social media using the hashtags #SpreadLoveDC and #DVAM And I hope you will read the rest of this newsletter to learn more about what is going on in the Ward and at the Council of the District of Columbi. In Service, Kenyan New Dates for Metro SafeTrack red line shutdown in October WMATA has announced new dates for SafeTrack Surge #10, the portion of the SafeTrack that will have the most impact on Ward 5. Specifically, Brookland and Rhode Island Avenue NE-Brentwood stations will be completely closed with no red line service between Fort Totten and NoMa.   The repairs were originally scheduled for early October, however, WMATA has announced that the Surge will now occur from October 29 - November 22. Both WMATA and the D.C. government have information available. Our office will continue to push for more information and ways to accommodate those who rely on WMATA.             MPD Officer Recruitment and Retention Emergency Bills At the legislative meeting on Tuesday September 20, Councilmember McDuffie moved two emergency bills in response to the Metropolitan Police Department’s current officer recruitment and retention challenges. Permanent versions of these bills will be heard by the Committee on the Judiciary starting next week. The first bill – the “Law Enforcement Career Opportunity Emergency Amendment Act of 2016” – will raise the age limit for MPD’s Cadet Program from 21 to 25, widening the front door to hiring for District residents and recent high school graduates. Cadets must be enrolled in a District high school or have graduated from high school and received a diploma or GED issued by the District. The second bill – the “Senior Law Enforcement Officer Emergency Amendment Act of 2016” – will expand upon the Chief of Police’s existing authority to rehire retired officers without jeopardizing their retirement benefits by increasing the allowable pay scales for higher-ranking officers. The Council had already passed similar legislation in the spring to allow retired officers to return to work at the Department of Forensic Sciences as crime scene investigators. Both bills now go to the Mayor for her signature.                     Judiciary Committee Approves Several Bills On Thursday, September 22, the Committee on the Judiciary, chaired by Councilmember McDuffie, voted unanimously to send legislation to the full Council for approval to implement automatic voter registration, increase the accessibility of District government services for limited and non-English proficient students and their families, and ban the use of tobacco products at event sites for organized sporting events. The “Automatic Voter Registration Amendment Act of 2016” would implement automatic voter registration by changing the voter registration process at the Department of Motor Vehicles from an opt-in approach, where an applicant has to affirmatively choose to register to vote, to an opt-out system, where an applicant has to decline to register to vote. Any eligible applicant who applies for a driver’s license or identification card, or updates their address at the Department, will automatically be registered to vote. By October 1, 2017, the Department will electronically transmit to the Board of Elections all automatic voter registration applications. The bill also changes the deadline for new voter registrations in the District from 30 days before an election to 21 days. In passing the bill, the District will move to the forefront of states and join Oregon, California, Vermont, and West Virginia. The “Sporting Events Tobacco Products Restriction Amendment Act of 2016” bans the use of tobacco products in stadiums, arenas, and playing fields for professional, amateur, youth recreational, and school-sponsored sports. The bill comes in response to increasingly high usage rates of smokeless tobacco among high school, college, and professional athletes, and the effect that the use of tobacco on the playing field has on young people. Tobacco use is a significant public health challenge in the District of Columbia and across the country. The Centers for Disease Control projects that 7,100 children alive today in the District will ultimately die from smoking. San Francisco, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City have enacted similar bans. The “Language Access for Education Amendment Act of 2016” expands upon the District’s existing law providing access to important District government services to limited or no-English proficient residents by offering additional services to public school and public charter school students. The bill notably requires each school to provide translations of essential information such as disciplinary reports, special education materials, and public health and safety notifications to students, parents, and guardians, upon request; mandates that certain District government agencies that historically have experienced challenges with complying with the law must dedicate staff for this purpose; and adds teeth to the law through the creation of fines for violations. More than 22,000 people in the District over the age of five are limited or non-English proficient. Give YOUR input to the Office of Planning to help write and update the District's Comprehensive Plan The District Office of Planning is amending the District’s Comprehensive Plan, a 20-year framework that guides future growth and development in the city and shapes the places we live, work, shop, and play. The second amendment cycle to the Comprehensive Plan will ensure that the plan remains responsive to the needs of the community. Your ideas are essential to a successful amendment process. Between October 19th and November 14th, OP is hosting a series of 7 community meetings. The meeting in Ward 5 is on Monday, November 14 at 6:00 PM. You can attend any of the meetings, go here to view and RSVP here. Comprehensive Youth Justice Amendment Act passes first vote of the D.C. Council Last week the D.C. Council unanimously voted for Councilmember McDuffie's Comprehensive Youth Justice Amendment Act of 2016. This is the culmination of over a year of meetings with stakeholders and youth; coalition and consensus building; and research into best practices from around the country. This legislation is coming before the Council in October 2016, which President Obama has declared National Youth Justice Awareness month. Just as President Obama said in his proclamation, "Too often in America, young people are not afforded a second chance after having made a mistake or poor decision -- the kind of chance some of their peers receive under more forgiving environments... As a society, we must strive to reach these children earlier in life and modernize our juvenile and criminal justice systems to hold youth accountable for their actions without consigning them to a life on the margins... Even for those youth who were never convicted or otherwise found guilty, simply having had contact with our justice system can lead to lifelong barriers and an increased likelihood of ending up in a cycle of incarceration." -- President Barack Obama, September 30, 2016 This comprehensive legislation addresses many of the concerns that President Obama speaks of. Among other changes, this bill will keep children out of the adult criminal justice system, reduce over-incarceration and ensure age-appropriate sentencing and confinement. It is Almost Time To Start Voting Election day is coming on Tuesday, November 8, but you'll have an opportunities to vote early before then. Early voting will begin downtown at One Judiciary Square on October 22. Early voting in the Ward will begin on October 28 at Turkey Thicket. Both locations are open everyday, from 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM until November 4. If you are not registered, you can register in person at your polling place. Check the Board of Elections website for more details. Keep #OURWard5 Clean The Councilmember and his Constituent Services team have been crisscrossing the Ward all summer long.  One concern that has been raised over and over by residents is trash.  Whether it is a candy bar wrapper, a used tire, or an old mattress, it should not be on our sidewalks, roads, or the grass in our parks.  Let’s all make a concerted effort to keep #OurWard5 beautiful. If you see trash around the Ward, please call 311 and report it so that the Department of Public Works can send a team to address it.  If it has not been addressed in a reasonable amount of time, please call or email our office so that we can follow-up on the 311 request with the agency. You can also submit 311 requests online or download the app at http://311.dc.gov/ Bulk trash removal requests can also be made through 311, or you can bring the items to the Fort Totten Transfer Station. The Fort Totten Transfer Station, located at 4900 John McCormack Dr NE, offers: Solid Waste Disposal Drop-off Mon – Fri: 1 – 5 pm Sat: 8 am – 3 pm Monthly Hazardous Waste / E-cycling / Document Shredding Every Saturday (except holidays), 8 am - 3 pm (Shredding on first Saturday of each month only) First Thursday preceding the first Saturday of the month (except holidays), 1 pm - 5 pm (HHW/E-cycling Only) Closed Sundays and Holidays Councilmember McDuffie in the Community: Councilmember McDuffie has been out and about all over Ward 5 and working hard down at the Wilson Building since the last newsletter, here is just a taste of what he has been up to, via the Councilmember’s Twitter. Check below for links to personally follow the Councilmember and the office on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Stay connected to Councilmember McDuffie and the Ward 5 office: Main office telephone number: 202-724-8028 Website: http://www.kenyanmcduffie.com Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KenyanRMcDuffie Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie on Twitter: @KenyanMcDuffie Councilmember McDuffie’s Office on Twitter: @CM_McDuffie Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie on Instagram: www.instagram.com/krmcduffie Update your subscriptions, modify your e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. Council of the District of Columbia 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004 www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us This email was sent to scottroberts01@outlook.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: Council of the District of Columbia · 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW · Washington D.C. 20004