District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0042 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	______________________________  1
4	4	Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie
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12	12	A BILL
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20	20	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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24	24	_________________________
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30	30	To establish as an independent agency the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety 15
31	31	Agency to coordinate the District’s violence prevention efforts; to amend the 16
32	32	Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Amendment Act of 2016 and the Attorney 17
33	33	General for the District of Columbia Clarification and Elected Term Amendment Act of 18
34	34	2010 to make conforming amendments; to amend the Office of the Deputy Mayor for 19
35	35	Public Safety and Justice Establishment Act of 2011 to study on how to enhance 20
36	36	recruitment tactics for youth prospects for the Metropolitan Police Departments and 21
37	37	enhance retention of senior officers; to amend the Omnibus Police Reform Amendment 22
38	38	Act of 2000 to clarify the standards of eligibility to be a member of the Metropolitan 23
39	39	Police Department; and to amend the Government Employer-Assisted Housing 24
40	40	Amendment Act of 1999 to enhance the First Responder benefits for the Employee-25
41	41	Assisted Housing Program. 26
42	42	27
43	43	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 28
44	44	act may be cited as the “Safe Neighborhoods Amendment Act of 2025”.  29
45	45	TITLE I.  THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT AND SAFETY 30
46	46	AGENCY.
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48	48	Sec. 101.  Office of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety Agency; establishment.
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50	50	There is established as an independent government agency, the Office of Neighborhood 33
51	51	Engagement and Safety Agency (“ ONES”), which shall be headed by a Director. Within ONES 34
52	52	shall be Office of the Office of Violence Prevention and Health Equity and the Office of 35
53	53	Neighborhood Safety and  Engagement (“NEAR Offices”), established by the Neighborhood 36 2
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55	55	Engagement Achieves Results Amendment Act of 2016, effective June 30, 2016 (D.C. Law 21-37
56	56	125; D.C. Official Code § 7–2411 et seq. ), (“NEAR Act”).
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58	58	Sec. 102. Purpose, duties.
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60	60	(a) The purpose of ONES shall include to coordinate and lead and direct the NEAR 40
61	61	Offices.
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63	63	Sec. 103. Director; appointment, term.
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65	65	The Director shall:
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67	67	(1) Have at least 5 years of relevant experience in criminal justice and public 44
68	68	health-based approaches to violence, including matters affecting the deterrence of violent 45
69	69	criminal behavior;
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71	71	(2) Be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council, 47
72	72	pursuant to section 2(a) of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 19790 (D.C. Law 2-48
73	73	142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01(a)); and
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75	75	(3) Serve a 6-year term.
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77	77	Sec. 104. Director, duties.
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79	79	The Director shall : 52
80	80	(1) Also be t he director of the NEAR Offices ; 53
81	81	(2) Administer the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety 54
82	82	Administration Fund, established by section 106; and 55
83	83	(3) Administer the Cure the Streets Program, established pursuant to section 108f 56
84	84	of the Omnibus Public Safety and Justice Amendment Act of 2018, effective May 10, 2019 57
85	85	(D.C. Law 25- 98, D.C. Official Code § 1–301.88f).
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88	88	Sec 105. Office of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety Administration Fund; 59
89	89	establishment.
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91	91	(a) There is established as a special fund the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and 61
92	92	Safety Administration Fund ("Fund"), which shall be administered by the Director of the Office 62
93	93	of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety Agency (“ONES ”) in accordance with subsections (c) 63
94	94	and (d) of this section.
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96	96	(b) Revenue from the following sources shall be deposited in the Fund:
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98	98	(1) Funds appropriated by the District;
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100	100	(2) Grants;
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102	102	(3) Donations from the public; and
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104	104	(4) Donations from private entities.
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106	106	(c) Money in the Fund shall be used to fund the activities of the ONES, including:
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108	108	(1) Providing stipends to eligible participants; and
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110	110	(2) Appropriate overhead or administrative expenses related to the administration 72
111	111	ONES and the Fund.
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113	113	(d)(1) The money deposited into the Fund, and interest earned, shall not revert to the 74
114	114	unrestricted fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia at the end of a fiscal 75
115	115	year, or at any other time.
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117	117	(2) Subject to authorization in an approved budget and financial plan, any funds 77
118	118	appropriated in the Fund shall be continually available without regard to fiscal year limitation.
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120	120	TITLE II. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS 79 4
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122	122	Sec. 201.  T he Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Amendment Act of 2016, 80
123	123	effective June 30, 2016 (D.C. Law 21- 125; D.C. Official Code § 7–2411 passim. ), is amended as 81
124	124	follows: 82
125	125	(a) Section 101 (D.C. Official Code § 7- 2411), the Office of Neighborhood Safety and  83
126	126	Engagement, is amended as follows:
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130	130	(1) Subsection (a) is amended by striking the phrase “(“ONSE”).” and inserting 86
131	131	the phrase “(ONSE”)” within the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety Agency, 87
132	132	established by section 101 of Safe Neighborhoods Amendment Act, as introduced on February 88
133	133	12, 2024 (Bill 25- ___).” 89
134	134	(b) Section 104 (D.C. Official Code § 7- 781), the Office of the Office of Violence 90
135	135	Prevention and Health Equity, is amended as follows:
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137	137	(1) Subsection (a) is amended by striking the phrase “within the Department of 92
138	138	Health”.
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140	140	(2) Subsection (c) is amended by striking the phrase “the Mayor” and inserting 94
141	141	the phrase " the Director of the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and Safety Agency” in its 95
142	142	place.
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144	144	(c) Section 103 (D.C, Official Code 7- 2413) is repealed.
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146	146	(d) Section 103a (D.C. Official Code 7- 2414) is amended by striking the phrase “The 98
147	147	Mayor, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved 99
148	148	October 21. 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2- 501 et seq.), may” and inserting the 100
149	149	phrase “The Director of the Safe Neighborhoods Amendment Act , in accordance with Title I of 101 5
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151	151	the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved October 21. 1968 (82 Stat. 102
152	152	1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq .), may” in its place.
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154	154	Sec. 202. Section 108f of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia Clarification 104
155	155	and Elected Term Amendment Act of 2010., effective May 27, 2010 (D.C. Law 18- 160, D.C. 105
156	156	Official Code § 1–301.88f), is repealed.
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158	158	TITLE III . DEPUTY MAYOR FOR PUBLIC SAFETY STUDY. 107
159	159	Sec. 301. Section 3022(c) of Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice 108
160	160	Establishment Act of 2011, effective September 14, 2011 (D.C. Law 19-21 ; D.C. Official Code § 109
161	161	1-301.191(c) ), is amended as follows: 110
162	162	( a) Paragraph (6) is repealed. 111
163	163	( b) A new paragraph (8) is added to read as follows: 112
164	164	“(8) By January 1, 2025, the Office shall prepare and submit to the Mayor and Council a 113
165	165	report identifying modern recruitment tactics for the Metropolitan Police Department for new 114
166	166	recruits from the District and surrounding jurisdictions and best practices to retain senior 115
167	167	officers.”. 116
168	168	TITLE IV. POLICE HIRING PRACTICE . 117
169	169	Sec. 401. Section 202 of the Omnibus Police Reform Amendment Act of 2000 effective 118
170	170	October 4, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-160; D.C. Official Code § 5-107.01), is amended as follows: 119
171	171	(a) Subsection ( e)(1) is amended to read as follows: 120
172	172	“(1) Successfully completed a High School Degree or GED ;”. 121
173	173	(2) A new subsection ( g) is added to read as follows: 122
174	174	“(g) An applicant shall not be deemed ineligible for appointment as a sworn member of 123
175	175	the Metropolitan Police Department based on the applicant’s credit score.”. 124 6
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177	177	TITLE V. FIRST RESPONDER HOUSING IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA LOAN 125
178	178	Sec. 501. The Government Employer-Assisted Housing Amendment Act of 1999 126
179	179	effective May 9, 2000 (D.C. Law 13- 96; D.C. Official Code § 42- 2501 et seq.), is amended as 127
180	180	follows: 128
181	181	(a) Section 3 (D.C. Official Code § 42- 2502) is amended as follows: 129
182	182	(1) Paragraph (3) is amended by striking the word “and”. 130
183	183	(2) Paragraph (4) is amended by striking the period and inserting the phrase “; 131
184	184	and” in its place. 132
185	185	(3) A new paragraph (5) is added to read as follows: 133
186	186	“(5) A interest free loan of up to $202,000 pursuant to section 6b.”. 134
187	187	(b) Section 6a (D.C. Official Code § 42- 2505.01) is amended as follows: 135
188	188	(1) The section heading is amended to read as follows: 136
189	189	“Sec. 6a. Educator grant.” . 137
190	190	(2) Strike the phrase “first-responder or” wherever it appears. 138
191	191	(c) A new section 6b is added as follows: 139
192	192	“Sec. 6b. First -responder housing. 140
193	193	“(a)(1) In addition to the assistance provided in sections 5(b -1) and 6, the Department 141
194	194	shall make available a deferred interest-free loan of up to $202,000 to provide financial 142
195	195	assistance for the purchase of a housing unit to each first-responder who is a Participant. 143
196	196	“(2) The deferred interest free loan shall be granted to equal up to 20 percent of 144
197	197	the down cost of the housing unit. 145
198	198	“(b) In order to receive the financial assistance provided by this section, for the purchase 146
199	199	of a housing unit under this section, a Participant must agree to a 15- year service obligation, 147
200	200	which shall begin at the date of settlement on the purchase of the housing unit, or, if the 148
201	201	Participant is not yet a District employee on the date of settlement, on the Participant’s first day 149
202	202	of employment with the District. 150 7
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204	204	“(c) The deferred interest free loan will be forgiven at a rate of 5% for each year of 151
205	205	service obligation for the first 10 years of the loan. After the first 10 years it will be forgiven at a 152
206	206	rate of 10% for the final 5 years of the service obligation. 153
207	207	“(d) The loan may be transferred once to the deed of a new housing unit so long as the 154
208	208	new housing unit is located within the District of Columbia. 155
209	209	“(e) The deferred interest free loan shall convert into a loan with interest to be repaid by 156
210	210	the Participant if: 157
211	211	“(1) Within 5 years after the date of settlement on the purchase of the housing 158
212	212	unit, the housing unit is sold, transferred, or ceases to be the principal residence of the 159
213	213	Participant; or 160
214	214	“(2) The first-responder Participant does not complete the 15- year service 161
215	215	obligation required by subsection (b) of this section. 162
216	216	“(f) For the purposes of this section, the term "service obligation" means employment as 163
217	217	a first-responder.” . 164
218	218	TITLE 6. GENERAL PROVISIONS 165
219	219	Sec. 601. Fiscal impact statement.
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221	221	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 167
222	222	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 168
223	223	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1- 301.47a).
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225	225	Sec. 602. Effective date.
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227	227	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 171
228	228	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30- day period of congressional review as 172
229	229	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 173
230	230	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1- 206.02(c)(1)).
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