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Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 6
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Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Christina Henderson 10
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Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 14
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A BILL 17
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 21
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To establish a Group Violence Intervention Initiative and an organizational structure to guide the 26
efforts of the Initiative; to allow the Metropolitan Police Department to hire civilian 27
personnel to respond to and investigate certain property crimes and cold cases; to require 28
the Sentencing Commission to publish a biannual report on repeat violent offenders in the 29
District; to authorize the Mayor to take corrective actions to remediate criminal blight at 30
properties in the District; and to require the Director of the Department of Healthcare 31
Finance to submit an amendment to the Medicaid state plan to make community violence 32
prevention services available to Medicaid beneficiaries. 33
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 35
act may be cited as the “Evidence-Based Gun Violence Reduction and Prevention Act of 2025”. 36
TABLE OF CONTENTS 37
TITLE I. GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION INITIATIVE........................................... 2 38
TITLE II. CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS AT THE METROPOLITAN POLICE 39
DEPARTMENT............................................................................................................................. 4 40
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TITLE III. BIANNUAL REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDER REPORT................................... 6 41
TITLE IV. ADDRESSING CRIMINAL BLIGHT IN THE DISTRICT.................................. 8 42
TITLE V. MEDICAID FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION 43
SERVICES................................................................................................................................... 11 44
TITLE VI. FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT; EFFECTIVE DATE. .................................... 14 45
TITLE I. GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION INITIATIVE. 46
Sec. 101. Establishment of group violence intervention initiative. 47
There is established the District of Columbia Group Violence Intervention Initiative 48
(“Initiative”). The purpose of the Initiative is to address gun violence in the District by focusing 49
law enforcement activities on individuals and groups committing acts of gun violence, 50
coordinating enforcement activities across law enforcement agencies, providing robust social 51
services and supports to individuals willing to cease criminal activity, and proactively engaging 52
residents in communities impacted by gun violence. 53
Sec. 102. Group violence intervention governing board; strategy and implementation 54
team. 55
(a) To implement the Initiative, there is established a: 56
(1) Group Violence Intervention Initiative Governing Board (“Governing Board”). 57
The Governing Board shall have final decision-making authority and provide resources to the 58
strategy and implementation team as deemed necessary. The Governing Board shall include: 59
(A) The Mayor; 60
(B) The City Administrator; and 61
(C) The Chair of the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. 62
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(2) Strategy and Implementation Team, which shall report to the Governing Board 63
on a regular basis to provide progress updates and request resources as needed. The Strategy and 64
Implementation Team shall handle the daily operations of the Initiative, including making key 65
decisions, developing strategies, securing resources, and continuously monitoring results. 66
(A) The Strategy and Implementation Team shall be composed of 12 67
members. Members of the Strategy and Implementation Team shall include: 68
(i) The Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, who 69
shall serve as the Executive Director; 70
(ii) The Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, who shall 71
serve as co-chair; 72
(iii) The Executive Director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety 73
and Engagement; 74
(iv) The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia; 75
(v) The Attorney General for the District of Columbia; 76
(vi) The Director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision 77
Agency; 78
(vii) The Director of the Pretrial Services Agency; 79
(viii) Two lieutenants from the Metropolitan Police Department, 80
selected by the Chief; 81
(ix) Two representatives from community-based organizations with 82
a demonstrated history of providing social services and supports to individuals who are at high 83
risk of engaging in gun violence; 84
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(x) A researcher with expertise in law enforcement policies and 85
practices whose work has been published in peer-reviewed journals. 86
Sec. 103. Implementation plan. 87
(a) The Strategy and Implementation Team shall develop an implementation plan for the 88
initiative. The implementation plan shall, at a minimum, include: 89
(1) How the Initiative will identify individuals and groups responsible for or at 90
high risk of engaging in gun violence; 91
(2) Key stakeholders, including community members and service providers, who 92
will be engaged as part of the initiative, including proposed engagement strategies; 93
(3) Protocols for conducting call-ins of individuals who may be subject to focused 94
enforcement efforts; 95
(4) How the needs of individuals identified by the Strategy and Implementation 96
Team pursuant to paragraph (1) will be assessed and what services will be offered to these 97
individuals; 98
(5) Proposed performance measures and data that will be utilized to track the 99
outcomes of the initiative; and 100
(6) Resources necessary to effectively implement the Initiative. 101
(b) The implementation plan shall be submitted to the Governing Board for approval 102
within six months of the effective date of this title. 103
Sec. 104. Reporting. 104
(a) On a quarterly basis, the Mayor shall provide a report to the Council that contains data 105
and analysis of performance measures developed by the Strategy and Implementation Team, 106
along with any other information deemed relevant. 107
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TITLE II. CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS AT THE METROPOLITAN POLICE 108
DEPARTMENT. 109
Sec. 201. Civilian investigators. 110
(a) The Metropolitan Police Department is hereby authorized to employ and allow 111
civilian personnel to investigate the following types of incidents when there is no expected 112
suspect contact: 113
(1) Commercial burglary; 114
(2) Residential burglary; 115
(3) Motor vehicle theft; 116
(4) Theft; 117
(5) Forgery; 118
(6) Fraud; and 119
(7) Other property crime investigations. 120
(b) In addition to the incidents listed in subsection (a) of this section, civilian personnel 121
may be employed to investigate cold cases. 122
(c) All of the following shall apply to investigators authorized pursuant to subsection (a) 123
of this section: 124
(1) The Metropolitan Police Department shall establish minimum standards for 125
employment as an investigator; 126
(2) Each investigator shall attend a training program designed by the Metropolitan 127
Police Department; 128
(3) Each investigator shall be issued credentials by the Metropolitan Police 129
Department identifying the individual as a civilian investigator; 130
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(4) Investigators shall be issued a uniform that is substantially different in color 131
and style from that of a sworn officer of the Metropolitan Police Department. The uniform shall 132
have patches that clearly identify the individual as a civilian investigator, and the individual’s 133
name shall be clearly displayed on the uniform. Investigators shall not be issued badges; 134
(5) Any vehicles issued to or used by an investigator shall not bear markings or 135
symbols that identify the vehicle as a police cruiser or patrol vehicle. The vehicle may have 136
emergency equipment and lights installed but shall not use blue lights in any manner or form; 137
(6) Investigators shall not be issued a firearm; and 138
(7) Investigators shall have no authority to arrest. 139
(c) The employment or use of investigators as authorized pursuant to subsection (a) of 140
this section shall not supplant or replace existing sworn law enforcement personnel or otherwise 141
cause a reduction in the number of sworn law enforcement officers employed by the 142
Metropolitan Police Department. 143
TITLE III. BIANNUAL REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDER REPORT. 144
Sec. 301. Biannual repeat offender report from the Sentencing Commission. 145
(a) On January 1, 2025 and every six months thereafter, the Sentencing Commission of 146
the District of Columbia shall publish a repeat violent offender report that contains the following: 147
(1) A de-identified list of repeat violent offenders arrested in the prior year. The 148
list shall include: 149
(A) The date of the arrest; 150
(B) The top charge against the offender; 151
(C) Whether the arrest was papered; 152
(D) For arrests that were papered, the current disposition of the case; 153
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(E) The number of prior arrests and convictions for crimes of violence 154
within the last five years, and the specific charges the individual was arrested and/or convicted of 155
for each arrest and conviction; 156
(2) An analysis that shows: 157
(A) The number and percentage of arrests and cases filed with the 158
Superior Court in the prior year involving repeat violent offenders; and 159
(B) The disposition of cases filed with the Superior Court in the year 160
before the prior year; and 161
(3) Any other information the Commission deems relevant or necessary. 162
(b) The report required pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be publicly 163
accessible through the Commission’s website. 164
(c) For purposes of this section, the term: 165
(1) “Crime of violence” means the following crimes when committed with a 166
firearm: 167
(A) Aggravated assault; 168
(B) Assault with a dangerous weapon; 169
(C) Carjacking, 170
(D) Assault with intent to kill; 171
(E) Kidnapping; 172
(F) Manslaughter; 173
(G) Murder; or 174
(H) Robbery. 175
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(2) “Repeat violent offender” means a person who has been arrested for a crime of 176
violence, as defined in paragraph (1) of this subsection, two or more times in the previous five 177
years. 178
TITLE IV. ADDRESSING CRIMINAL BLIGHT IN THE DISTRICT. 179
Sec. 401. Definitions. 180
For purposes of this title, the term: 181
(a) “Controlled substance” shall have the same meaning as § 48–901.02(4). 182
(b) “Corrective action” means: 183
(1) Taking specific actions with respect to the buildings or structures on the 184
property that are reasonably expected to abate criminal blight on such real property, including the 185
removal, repair, or the securing of any building, wall, structure, or lot; or 186
(2) Changing specific policies, practices, or procedures of the real property owner 187
that are reasonably expected to abate criminal blight on real property. 188
(c) “Criminal blight” means a condition existing on real property that endangers the 189
public health or safety of residents of the city and is caused by: 190
(1) The regular presence of, or use of property by, persons illegally possessing, 191
manufacturing, or distributing controlled substances; or 192
(2) Repeated discharging of a firearm within any building, dwelling, structure, or 193
lot. 194
(d) “Owner” means the record owner of the real property. 195
(e) “Real property” means real property as defined under § 47-802(1). 196
Sec. 402. Corrective action of criminal blight. 197
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(a)(1) Whenever the owner of any real property in the District of Columbia shall fail or 198
refuse, after the service of reasonable notice pursuant to subsection (b), to correct criminal blight 199
as identified by the Mayor, the Mayor is authorized to cause such condition to be corrected, 200
assess the fair market value of the correction of the condition or the actual cost of the correction, 201
whichever is higher, and all expenses incident thereto as a tax against the property on which the 202
criminal blight existed or arose. 203
(2) The Mayor may utilize funds from § 42–3131.01(b)(1)(A) for corrective 204
actions made pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection. 205
(b) The Mayor shall send a notice to the owner of the real property which: 206
(1) Describes the nature of the criminal blight at the real property; 207
(2) Describes the corrective actions that the owner is being requested to take to 208
remediate criminal blight; 209
(3) Advises that the owner has 30 days from the date of receipt of the notice to 210
undertake corrective action to abate the criminal blight; 211
(4) States that failure to take corrective actions pursuant to the notice may result 212
in the District commencing corrective actions, the costs of which will be assessed as a tax against 213
the property. 214
(c) The Mayor may provide an owner with an additional 30 days to comply with the 215
notice issued in subsection (b) of this section if: 216
(1) The owner demonstrates that he or she is making a good-faith effort to 217
comply; and 218
(2) The owner provides sufficient evidence that the inability to comply within 30 219
days of receipt of the notice is outside of his or her control. 220
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(d) A copy of the notice sent to the owner pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall 221
be provided to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission in which the property is located. 222
(e) If an owner takes timely corrective action as prescribed in the notice in subsection (b) 223
of this section, the Mayor shall deem the criminal blight abated and shall promptly provide 224
written notice to the owner that the criminal blight is abated. 225
(f) If an owner, in good faith, takes corrective action, and despite having taken such 226
action, the specific criminal blight identified in the notice provided pursuant to subsection (b) of 227
this section persists, the owner shall be deemed in compliance. 228
Sec. 403. Prioritization of properties. 229
(a) The Mayor shall develop a list of properties at which criminal blight exists. The list 230
shall be used to prioritize properties for the purposes of sending notices and commencing 231
corrective action pursuant to section 402 of this title. 232
(b) The list developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall prioritize properties 233
according to the severity and frequency of criminal blight at the real property. The nature and 234
severity of criminal blight may be measured by: 235
(1) The number of calls for service to police; 236
(2) Law enforcement intelligence information; or 237
(3) The number of arrests of individuals occupying or present at the property. 238
Sec. 404. Reporting of corrective actions. 239
On an annual basis, the Mayor shall provide the Council of the District of Columbia and 240
the Attorney General of the District of Columbia with a report that contains the following 241
information: 242
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(1) A list of properties at which the Mayor identified criminal blight and provided 243
notice to the owner; 244
(2) A brief description of the criminal blight at each property in the list; 245
(3) A brief description of the corrective actions requested by the Mayor at each 246
property on the list; 247
(4) Whether the owner of the real property took timely corrective action; and 248
(5) If the owner did not take timely corrective action, the date on which the 249
District commenced corrective action and the cost of that corrective action. 250
Sec. 405. Availability of other remedies. 251
The provisions of this title shall not limit the availability of other remedies under the law. 252
TITLE V. MEDICAID FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION 253
SERVICES. 254
Sec. 501. Definitions. 255
For purposes of this title, the term: 256
(a) “Community violence” means intentional acts of interpersonal violence committed by 257
individuals who are not intimately related to the victim. 258
(b) “Community violence prevention services” means evidence-informed, trauma-259
informed, culturally responsive, supportive, and non-psychotherapeutic services provided by a 260
qualified violence prevention professional for the purpose of promoting improved health 261
outcomes, trauma recovery, and positive behavioral change, preventing injury recidivism and 262
reducing the likelihood that individuals who are victims of violence will commit or promote 263
violence themselves. “Violence prevention services” may include the provision of peer support 264
and counseling, mentorship, conflict mediation, crisis intervention, targeted case management, 265
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referrals to licensed healthcare professionals or service providers, community and school support 266
services, and patient education or screening services to victims of community violence. 267
(c) “Director” means the Director of the Department of Healthcare Finance. 268
(d) “Prevention professional” means an individual who works in programs aimed to 269
address specific patient needs. 270
(e) “Qualified violence prevention professional” means a prevention professional who 271
meets the qualifications and conditions of section 503 of this title. 272
Sec. 502. Medicaid plan amendment. 273
(a) Within 60 days of the effective date of this title, the Director shall apply to the federal 274
government for approval of an amendment to the Medicaid state plan to make community 275
violence prevention services available, to the extent permitted by federal law, to any Medicaid 276
beneficiary who has: 277
(1) Been exposed to community violence; 278
(2) A personal history of injury sustained as a result of an act of community 279
violence; and 280
(3) Been referred by a licensed health care provider or social services provider to 281
receive community violence prevention services from a qualified violence prevention 282
professional after such provider determines such beneficiary to be at elevated risk of a violent 283
injury or retaliation resulting from another act of community violence. 284
(b) The Director shall seek any federal approvals necessary to implement this title, 285
including any federal waivers by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 286
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(c) Once federal approval has been applied for pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, 287
the Director shall, in consultation with violence intervention organizations and community-based 288
and hospital-based violence prevention programs: 289
(1) Issue guidance on the use of community violence prevention services for 290
beneficiaries who access these services under the medical assistance program; and 291
(2) Determine the maximum allowable rates for community violence prevention 292
services based on the medical assistance program fee-for-service outpatient rates for the same or 293
similar services or any other data deemed reliable and relevant by the Director. 294
Sec. 503. Qualified violence prevention professionals. 295
(a) Within 90 days of the effective date of this title, the Department of Health shall, in 296
consultation with the Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, approve at least one 297
governmental or nongovernmental accrediting body with expertise in community violence 298
prevention services to review and approve training and certification programs for qualified 299
violence prevention professionals. The accrediting body shall approve programs that such body 300
determines, in its discretion, will adequately prepare individuals to provide community violence 301
prevention services to individuals who are victims of community violence. Such programs shall 302
include at least 35 hours of training and address the following: 303
(1) The effects of trauma and violence; 304
(2) The basics of trauma-informed care; 305
(3) Community violence prevention strategies, including conflict mediation and 306
retaliation prevention related to community violence, case management, and advocacy practices; 307
and 308
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(4) Patient privacy and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability 309
Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-191). 310
(b) Any prevention professional seeking certification as a qualified violence prevention 311
professional shall: 312
(1) Complete at least six months of full-time equivalent experience in providing 313
community violence prevention services or youth development services through employment, 314
volunteer work, or as part of an internship experience; 315
(2) Complete the training and certification program approved by the Department 316
of Health pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for qualified violence prevention 317
professionals; 318
(3) Complete annually at least four of continuing education by a provider 319
approved by the Department of Health in the field of community violence prevention services; 320
and 321
(4) Satisfy any other requirements established by the Department of Health for 322
certification as a qualified violence prevention professional. 323
(c) Any entity that employs or contracts with a qualified violence prevention professional 324
to provide community violence prevention services shall: 325
(1) Maintain documentation that the qualified violence prevention professional 326
has met all of the qualifications and conditions of subsection (b) of this section; and 327
(2) Ensure that the qualified violence prevention professional is providing 328
services in compliance with any applicable standards of care, rules, regulations, and laws. 329
TITLE VI. FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT; EFFECTIVE DATE. 330
Sec. 601. Fiscal impact statement. 331
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The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 332
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 333
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 334
Sec. 602. Effective date. 335
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 336
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 60-day period of congressional review as 337
provided in section 602(c)(2) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 338
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(2)), and publication in the District of 339
Columbia Register. 340