The Ward 5 Report
Dear Resident,
We have embarked upon an important time of the year – budget
season has officially begun. Your input is valuable as the D.C. Council
prepares for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 budget. The Mayor released her proposed FY17 budget on
March 24, and the Council began its budget oversight hearings on April 6. I
encourage you to weigh in on your budget priorities for Ward 5. The full
schedule can be found here.
On another note, I am excited to announce my second Ward 5
Professional Networking Mixer on Thursday,
April 21 at Smith Public Trust
located at 3514 12th Street
NE from 6pm-8pm. We received an
overwhelmingly positive response with nearly 300 people in attendance at the initial Mixer. If you are unable to make
this one, contact our office for further information on the next Mixer or follow
the buzz on Twitter @CM_McDuffie
and use the hashtag #Ward5PNMixer.
In Service,
Kenyan
Legislative & Committee Updates
Councilmember
McDuffie Introduces Sweeping Juvenile Justice Reform Bill
On Tuesday, April 5, Councilmember McDuffie along with Chairman Mendelson and Councilmembers
Bonds, Grosso, May, Nadeau, and Silverman introduced the “Comprehensive Youth
Justice Amendment Act of 2016,”a bill that makes sweeping reforms to the
District of Columbia’s juvenile justice system.
After
months of collaboration with numerous experts and advocates in the field,
McDuffie’s omnibus bill identifies reforms that prioritize rehabilitation,
improve the conditions of confinement, strengthen government accountability,
restore judicial discretion in juvenile sentencing, and open a pathway to
permanent residency for young immigrants who are victims of abuse or neglect.
Taken together, these evidence-based practices will establish the District as a
national leader in youth justice.”
The key
provisions in the bill include the following:
Prioritizes
Rehabilitation
-
Transfers all detained youth under the age of 18 from adult to juvenile facilities by 2018
- Ensures that juveniles are not unnecessarily detained
before a court hearing
- Protects children under the age of 10 from being
committed with older juveniles and entering the criminal justice system
- Enhances information sharing between government
agencies that serve juveniles
Improves
the Conditions of Confinement
-
Limits the use of solitary confinement for juveniles and requires stringent reporting when it is applied
- Better engages families of committed youth by informing
them of available resources through the development and distribution of a
parent manual
- Limits the use of restraints on confined juveniles
- Bans the use of disciplinary segregation for juveniles
Reduces
Overincarceration through Intervention and Age-Appropriate Sentencing
- Establishes victim-offender mediation as an alternative option for victims of crime
- Ends the use of mandatory minimum sentences for
juveniles and restores judicial discretion
- Bans the use of life without parole sentences for
juveniles
Improves
Data Collection and Analysis
-
Requires the District’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services to analyze the underlying causes of crime for its committed population
- Tracks the success of youth previously committed to the
Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services until the age of 24
Protects
Abused and Neglected Immigrant Children
-
Provides extra time for young immigrants who were abused or neglected to apply for residency
The
Committee on the Judiciary will hold a hearing on the bill June 1, 2016.
McDuffie’s Gives Recap of Hearing on Emergency Medical Services Reform Bills
On March 22, 2016, the Committee
held a hearing on The “Office of
Unified Communications Karima Holmes Confirmation Resolution of 2016”. The
resolution nominates Ms. Karima Holmes to serve as the Director of the Office
of Unified Communications (OUC). OUC has been without permanent leadership from
April 2015 to January 2016. The Committee received testimony from Acting Director Karima Holmes’ about her experience and vision to
efficiently move OUC forward by promoting superior customer service and
effective community outreach efforts.
The Committee also considered Bill 21-0506, the “Establishment of the
Community Health Emergency Link Paramedicine Pilot Program Act of 2015”.
Councilmember McDuffie introduced this bill on December 1, 2015 with Councilmembers Bonds, Orange, May, Cheh, Allen, and Chairman Mendelson as co-sponsors. The bill would
establish a pilot community paramedicine program under the supervision of the
Fire and Emergency Medical Services
Medical Director, that is operated by emergency medical services
providers. The program would not compete with other community health care
services but instead is intended to identify and fill gaps, create a hub for medical
resources and care, and work in partnership with existing
health care providers.
Finally, the Committee considered Bill 21-0615, the “Notice in Case of Emergency Amendment Act of
2016”. On February 16, 2016, Councilmember McDuffie introduced this bill along
with Councilmembers Bonds, Alexander, and Cheh. This bill strengthens OUC’s medical information profile program by expanding the
means by which residents can register their medical profile or “Smart Safety
Profiles.” OUC currently has 3,624 residents enrolled in this program.
This bill permits OUC to expand the registration
method beyond a telephone number to include the resident’s Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV) issued identification number, home address, social security
number, or other means pursuant to written standards developed by OUC. This
bill also implements a vehicle and home decal program that alerts first
responders that the vehicle glove compartment or the home contains a hard copy
of the resident’s Smart Safety profile. Lastly, the bill requires the DMV and OUC to develop a Smart Safety profile
request form that will be made available to residents at the DMV.
Kenyan in the Community
McDuffie Participates in Dance Place 8th Street Arts Park Groundbreaking
On Thursday, March 31, 2016, Dance Place hosted the
groundbreaking ceremony for their 8th Street Arts Park. Councilmember
McDuffie was thrilled to be a part of this
joyous occasion. Since 1986, Dance Place has served as a vital cultural hub in
the Brookland and Edgewood neighborhoods. Because this alley currently operates as
an emergency route to the nearby Metro tracks, Dance Place has developed a
creative proposal that would convert the alley into a community of space without
the use of any permanent structures. In the event of an emergency, the alley
will still be available to first responders. When developed, the new Arts Park will add
vibrancy, artistry and green space to the area.
It will transform the now vacant asphalt alley into a welcoming creative
space for art events, creative expression, social interaction, community
gardening and recreational play. Construction for the park has begun and a soft
grand opening is scheduled for summer 2016.
Check out the pictures
from the event.
McDuffie Kicks off Satchel Paige Little League
Opening Day Celebration
Community Bulletin Board
 Councilmember McDuffie along with Councilmember Brandon Todd, Andre Lee, President of Satchel Paige Little League, and youth at the opening day celebration
McDuffie Teams up with DC Water for Ward 5 Town Hall Meeting - Thursday, April 14
DDOT to Host 2nd Public Workshop for
the Crosstown Multimodal Transportation Study
On Wednesday, April 20, The District Department of
Transportation (DDOT) will host the second public workshop for the
Crosstown Multimodal Transportation Study at Chavez Prep Middle School located
at 770 Kenyon Street NW from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm. The purpose of this workshop is
to present preliminary concepts that enhance multimodal connectivity, mobility,
and safety and gain community feedback.
DDOT is undertaking the
Crosstown Multimodal Transportation Study to identify improvements along the
east-west connections in Ward 5. DDOT will work with the Ward 5 community and
key stakeholders to evaluate and develop a range of physical and operational
improvements. The Crosstown Multimodal Transportation Study is a key project in
the two-Year Action Plan for moveDC, the District of
Columbia's multimodal long-range transportation plan.
For more information about the study, please contact DDOT Project Manager,
Katherine Youngbluth, at katherine.youngbluth@dc.gov or (202) 645-8625 or visit the study website at www.dccrosstownstudy.com.
You're Invited to McDuffie's Ward 5 Professionals Networking Mixer
Back by popular demand! You asked for it…………….
Please join me on Thursday, April 21 at Smith Public Trust from
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. for my second Ward 5 Professionals Networking Mixer.
Smith Public Trust is located at 3514 12th Street NE.
You may access the Brookland-CUA red line train on the Metro.
There will be music, light appetizers, great conversation and
more. Share with your neighbors. Please RSVP here and use the hashtag
#Ward5PNMixer.
See you there!
Small Business Forum: 'POWER UP DC' - National Small Business Week
On Tuesday, May 3, from 8:00 am-12:30 pm at the Marriott
Marquis Hotel located at 901 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, DC Health
Link, the DC Chamber of Commerce (DCCC), the Greater Washington Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce (GWHCC) and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan
Washington (RAMW) will host a small business forum “POWER UP DC 2016: Get Money, Get Movin’… Accessing Capital to Start and Grow Your
Business With Non-Traditional Funding Resources” during National Small Business Week. There will be three workshops with
expert panelists who will share information to enhance business growth through
non-traditional funding streams and creative financing options. A Matchmaking
Meet-up with Business Resources session will be held where business owners can
meet one-on-one with lenders. Finally, DC Health Link will be onsite with
licensed /certified brokers who will share information about how the Affordable
Care Act can benefit small business owners, their employees and provide
enrollment assistance for quality affordable health insurance through DC Health
Link. Please note that the registration is FREE for all attendees.
To register, please visit here. For more
information about the event, contact Linda Currie at (202)
638-7337 or at lcurrie@dcchamber.org. For more information about DC Health
Link and to get a copy of the enrollment checklist, please visit here.
Bike to Work Day - Friday, May 20
The Literacy Lab is Hiring!
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