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District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0052

District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0052 Compare Versions

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33 _________________________ 1
44 Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
55 3
66 4
77 5
88 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 6
99 7
1010 8
1111 9
1212 Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Christina Henderson 10
1313 11
1414 12
1515 13
1616 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 14
1717 15
1818 16
1919 A BILL 17
2020 18
2121 19
2222 20
2323 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 21
2424 22
2525 23
2626 24
2727 25
2828 To establish a Group Violence Intervention Initiative and an organizational structure to guide the 26
2929 efforts of the Initiative; to allow the Metropolitan Police Department to hire civilian 27
3030 personnel to respond to and investigate certain property crimes and cold cases; to require 28
3131 the Sentencing Commission to publish a biannual report on repeat violent offenders in the 29
3232 District; to authorize the Mayor to take corrective actions to remediate criminal blight at 30
3333 properties in the District; and to require the Director of the Department of Healthcare 31
3434 Finance to submit an amendment to the Medicaid state plan to make community violence 32
3535 prevention services available to Medicaid beneficiaries. 33
3636 34
3737 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 35
3838 act may be cited as the “Evidence-Based Gun Violence Reduction and Prevention Act of 2025”. 36
3939 TABLE OF CONTENTS 37
4040 TITLE I. GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION INITIATIVE........................................... 2 38
4141 TITLE II. CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS AT THE METROPOLITAN POLICE 39
4242 DEPARTMENT............................................................................................................................. 4 40
4343 2
4444
4545 TITLE III. BIANNUAL REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDER REPORT................................... 6 41
4646 TITLE IV. ADDRESSING CRIMINAL BLIGHT IN THE DISTRICT.................................. 8 42
4747 TITLE V. MEDICAID FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION 43
4848 SERVICES................................................................................................................................... 11 44
4949 TITLE VI. FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT; EFFECTIVE DATE. .................................... 14 45
5050 TITLE I. GROUP VIOLENCE INTERVENTION INITIATIVE. 46
5151 Sec. 101. Establishment of group violence intervention initiative. 47
5252 There is established the District of Columbia Group Violence Intervention Initiative 48
5353 (“Initiative”). The purpose of the Initiative is to address gun violence in the District by focusing 49
5454 law enforcement activities on individuals and groups committing acts of gun violence, 50
5555 coordinating enforcement activities across law enforcement agencies, providing robust social 51
5656 services and supports to individuals willing to cease criminal activity, and proactively engaging 52
5757 residents in communities impacted by gun violence. 53
5858 Sec. 102. Group violence intervention governing board; strategy and implementation 54
5959 team. 55
6060 (a) To implement the Initiative, there is established a: 56
6161 (1) Group Violence Intervention Initiative Governing Board (“Governing Board”). 57
6262 The Governing Board shall have final decision-making authority and provide resources to the 58
6363 strategy and implementation team as deemed necessary. The Governing Board shall include: 59
6464 (A) The Mayor; 60
6565 (B) The City Administrator; and 61
6666 (C) The Chair of the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety. 62
6767 3
6868
6969 (2) Strategy and Implementation Team, which shall report to the Governing Board 63
7070 on a regular basis to provide progress updates and request resources as needed. The Strategy and 64
7171 Implementation Team shall handle the daily operations of the Initiative, including making key 65
7272 decisions, developing strategies, securing resources, and continuously monitoring results. 66
7373 (A) The Strategy and Implementation Team shall be composed of 12 67
7474 members. Members of the Strategy and Implementation Team shall include: 68
7575 (i) The Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, who 69
7676 shall serve as the Executive Director; 70
7777 (ii) The Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, who shall 71
7878 serve as co-chair; 72
7979 (iii) The Executive Director of the Office of Neighborhood Safety 73
8080 and Engagement; 74
8181 (iv) The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia; 75
8282 (v) The Attorney General for the District of Columbia; 76
8383 (vi) The Director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision 77
8484 Agency; 78
8585 (vii) The Director of the Pretrial Services Agency; 79
8686 (viii) Two lieutenants from the Metropolitan Police Department, 80
8787 selected by the Chief; 81
8888 (ix) Two representatives from community-based organizations with 82
8989 a demonstrated history of providing social services and supports to individuals who are at high 83
9090 risk of engaging in gun violence; 84
9191 4
9292
9393 (x) A researcher with expertise in law enforcement policies and 85
9494 practices whose work has been published in peer-reviewed journals. 86
9595 Sec. 103. Implementation plan. 87
9696 (a) The Strategy and Implementation Team shall develop an implementation plan for the 88
9797 initiative. The implementation plan shall, at a minimum, include: 89
9898 (1) How the Initiative will identify individuals and groups responsible for or at 90
9999 high risk of engaging in gun violence; 91
100100 (2) Key stakeholders, including community members and service providers, who 92
101101 will be engaged as part of the initiative, including proposed engagement strategies; 93
102102 (3) Protocols for conducting call-ins of individuals who may be subject to focused 94
103103 enforcement efforts; 95
104104 (4) How the needs of individuals identified by the Strategy and Implementation 96
105105 Team pursuant to paragraph (1) will be assessed and what services will be offered to these 97
106106 individuals; 98
107107 (5) Proposed performance measures and data that will be utilized to track the 99
108108 outcomes of the initiative; and 100
109109 (6) Resources necessary to effectively implement the Initiative. 101
110110 (b) The implementation plan shall be submitted to the Governing Board for approval 102
111111 within six months of the effective date of this title. 103
112112 Sec. 104. Reporting. 104
113113 (a) On a quarterly basis, the Mayor shall provide a report to the Council that contains data 105
114114 and analysis of performance measures developed by the Strategy and Implementation Team, 106
115115 along with any other information deemed relevant. 107
116116 5
117117
118118 TITLE II. CIVILIAN INVESTIGATORS AT THE METROPOLITAN POLICE 108
119119 DEPARTMENT. 109
120120 Sec. 201. Civilian investigators. 110
121121 (a) The Metropolitan Police Department is hereby authorized to employ and allow 111
122122 civilian personnel to investigate the following types of incidents when there is no expected 112
123123 suspect contact: 113
124124 (1) Commercial burglary; 114
125125 (2) Residential burglary; 115
126126 (3) Motor vehicle theft; 116
127127 (4) Theft; 117
128128 (5) Forgery; 118
129129 (6) Fraud; and 119
130130 (7) Other property crime investigations. 120
131131 (b) In addition to the incidents listed in subsection (a) of this section, civilian personnel 121
132132 may be employed to investigate cold cases. 122
133133 (c) All of the following shall apply to investigators authorized pursuant to subsection (a) 123
134134 of this section: 124
135135 (1) The Metropolitan Police Department shall establish minimum standards for 125
136136 employment as an investigator; 126
137137 (2) Each investigator shall attend a training program designed by the Metropolitan 127
138138 Police Department; 128
139139 (3) Each investigator shall be issued credentials by the Metropolitan Police 129
140140 Department identifying the individual as a civilian investigator; 130
141141 6
142142
143143 (4) Investigators shall be issued a uniform that is substantially different in color 131
144144 and style from that of a sworn officer of the Metropolitan Police Department. The uniform shall 132
145145 have patches that clearly identify the individual as a civilian investigator, and the individual’s 133
146146 name shall be clearly displayed on the uniform. Investigators shall not be issued badges; 134
147147 (5) Any vehicles issued to or used by an investigator shall not bear markings or 135
148148 symbols that identify the vehicle as a police cruiser or patrol vehicle. The vehicle may have 136
149149 emergency equipment and lights installed but shall not use blue lights in any manner or form; 137
150150 (6) Investigators shall not be issued a firearm; and 138
151151 (7) Investigators shall have no authority to arrest. 139
152152 (c) The employment or use of investigators as authorized pursuant to subsection (a) of 140
153153 this section shall not supplant or replace existing sworn law enforcement personnel or otherwise 141
154154 cause a reduction in the number of sworn law enforcement officers employed by the 142
155155 Metropolitan Police Department. 143
156156 TITLE III. BIANNUAL REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDER REPORT. 144
157157 Sec. 301. Biannual repeat offender report from the Sentencing Commission. 145
158158 (a) On January 1, 2025 and every six months thereafter, the Sentencing Commission of 146
159159 the District of Columbia shall publish a repeat violent offender report that contains the following: 147
160160 (1) A de-identified list of repeat violent offenders arrested in the prior year. The 148
161161 list shall include: 149
162162 (A) The date of the arrest; 150
163163 (B) The top charge against the offender; 151
164164 (C) Whether the arrest was papered; 152
165165 (D) For arrests that were papered, the current disposition of the case; 153
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167167
168168 (E) The number of prior arrests and convictions for crimes of violence 154
169169 within the last five years, and the specific charges the individual was arrested and/or convicted of 155
170170 for each arrest and conviction; 156
171171 (2) An analysis that shows: 157
172172 (A) The number and percentage of arrests and cases filed with the 158
173173 Superior Court in the prior year involving repeat violent offenders; and 159
174174 (B) The disposition of cases filed with the Superior Court in the year 160
175175 before the prior year; and 161
176176 (3) Any other information the Commission deems relevant or necessary. 162
177177 (b) The report required pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be publicly 163
178178 accessible through the Commission’s website. 164
179179 (c) For purposes of this section, the term: 165
180180 (1) “Crime of violence” means the following crimes when committed with a 166
181181 firearm: 167
182182 (A) Aggravated assault; 168
183183 (B) Assault with a dangerous weapon; 169
184184 (C) Carjacking, 170
185185 (D) Assault with intent to kill; 171
186186 (E) Kidnapping; 172
187187 (F) Manslaughter; 173
188188 (G) Murder; or 174
189189 (H) Robbery. 175
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191191
192192 (2) “Repeat violent offender” means a person who has been arrested for a crime of 176
193193 violence, as defined in paragraph (1) of this subsection, two or more times in the previous five 177
194194 years. 178
195195 TITLE IV. ADDRESSING CRIMINAL BLIGHT IN THE DISTRICT. 179
196196 Sec. 401. Definitions. 180
197197 For purposes of this title, the term: 181
198198 (a) “Controlled substance” shall have the same meaning as § 48–901.02(4). 182
199199 (b) “Corrective action” means: 183
200200 (1) Taking specific actions with respect to the buildings or structures on the 184
201201 property that are reasonably expected to abate criminal blight on such real property, including the 185
202202 removal, repair, or the securing of any building, wall, structure, or lot; or 186
203203 (2) Changing specific policies, practices, or procedures of the real property owner 187
204204 that are reasonably expected to abate criminal blight on real property. 188
205205 (c) “Criminal blight” means a condition existing on real property that endangers the 189
206206 public health or safety of residents of the city and is caused by: 190
207207 (1) The regular presence of, or use of property by, persons illegally possessing, 191
208208 manufacturing, or distributing controlled substances; or 192
209209 (2) Repeated discharging of a firearm within any building, dwelling, structure, or 193
210210 lot. 194
211211 (d) “Owner” means the record owner of the real property. 195
212212 (e) “Real property” means real property as defined under § 47-802(1). 196
213213 Sec. 402. Corrective action of criminal blight. 197
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215215
216216 (a)(1) Whenever the owner of any real property in the District of Columbia shall fail or 198
217217 refuse, after the service of reasonable notice pursuant to subsection (b), to correct criminal blight 199
218218 as identified by the Mayor, the Mayor is authorized to cause such condition to be corrected, 200
219219 assess the fair market value of the correction of the condition or the actual cost of the correction, 201
220220 whichever is higher, and all expenses incident thereto as a tax against the property on which the 202
221221 criminal blight existed or arose. 203
222222 (2) The Mayor may utilize funds from § 42–3131.01(b)(1)(A) for corrective 204
223223 actions made pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection. 205
224224 (b) The Mayor shall send a notice to the owner of the real property which: 206
225225 (1) Describes the nature of the criminal blight at the real property; 207
226226 (2) Describes the corrective actions that the owner is being requested to take to 208
227227 remediate criminal blight; 209
228228 (3) Advises that the owner has 30 days from the date of receipt of the notice to 210
229229 undertake corrective action to abate the criminal blight; 211
230230 (4) States that failure to take corrective actions pursuant to the notice may result 212
231231 in the District commencing corrective actions, the costs of which will be assessed as a tax against 213
232232 the property. 214
233233 (c) The Mayor may provide an owner with an additional 30 days to comply with the 215
234234 notice issued in subsection (b) of this section if: 216
235235 (1) The owner demonstrates that he or she is making a good-faith effort to 217
236236 comply; and 218
237237 (2) The owner provides sufficient evidence that the inability to comply within 30 219
238238 days of receipt of the notice is outside of his or her control. 220
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240240
241241 (d) A copy of the notice sent to the owner pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall 221
242242 be provided to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission in which the property is located. 222
243243 (e) If an owner takes timely corrective action as prescribed in the notice in subsection (b) 223
244244 of this section, the Mayor shall deem the criminal blight abated and shall promptly provide 224
245245 written notice to the owner that the criminal blight is abated. 225
246246 (f) If an owner, in good faith, takes corrective action, and despite having taken such 226
247247 action, the specific criminal blight identified in the notice provided pursuant to subsection (b) of 227
248248 this section persists, the owner shall be deemed in compliance. 228
249249 Sec. 403. Prioritization of properties. 229
250250 (a) The Mayor shall develop a list of properties at which criminal blight exists. The list 230
251251 shall be used to prioritize properties for the purposes of sending notices and commencing 231
252252 corrective action pursuant to section 402 of this title. 232
253253 (b) The list developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall prioritize properties 233
254254 according to the severity and frequency of criminal blight at the real property. The nature and 234
255255 severity of criminal blight may be measured by: 235
256256 (1) The number of calls for service to police; 236
257257 (2) Law enforcement intelligence information; or 237
258258 (3) The number of arrests of individuals occupying or present at the property. 238
259259 Sec. 404. Reporting of corrective actions. 239
260260 On an annual basis, the Mayor shall provide the Council of the District of Columbia and 240
261261 the Attorney General of the District of Columbia with a report that contains the following 241
262262 information: 242
263263 11
264264
265265 (1) A list of properties at which the Mayor identified criminal blight and provided 243
266266 notice to the owner; 244
267267 (2) A brief description of the criminal blight at each property in the list; 245
268268 (3) A brief description of the corrective actions requested by the Mayor at each 246
269269 property on the list; 247
270270 (4) Whether the owner of the real property took timely corrective action; and 248
271271 (5) If the owner did not take timely corrective action, the date on which the 249
272272 District commenced corrective action and the cost of that corrective action. 250
273273 Sec. 405. Availability of other remedies. 251
274274 The provisions of this title shall not limit the availability of other remedies under the law. 252
275275 TITLE V. MEDICAID FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE PREVENTION 253
276276 SERVICES. 254
277277 Sec. 501. Definitions. 255
278278 For purposes of this title, the term: 256
279279 (a) “Community violence” means intentional acts of interpersonal violence committed by 257
280280 individuals who are not intimately related to the victim. 258
281281 (b) “Community violence prevention services” means evidence-informed, trauma-259
282282 informed, culturally responsive, supportive, and non-psychotherapeutic services provided by a 260
283283 qualified violence prevention professional for the purpose of promoting improved health 261
284284 outcomes, trauma recovery, and positive behavioral change, preventing injury recidivism and 262
285285 reducing the likelihood that individuals who are victims of violence will commit or promote 263
286286 violence themselves. “Violence prevention services” may include the provision of peer support 264
287287 and counseling, mentorship, conflict mediation, crisis intervention, targeted case management, 265
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289289
290290 referrals to licensed healthcare professionals or service providers, community and school support 266
291291 services, and patient education or screening services to victims of community violence. 267
292292 (c) “Director” means the Director of the Department of Healthcare Finance. 268
293293 (d) “Prevention professional” means an individual who works in programs aimed to 269
294294 address specific patient needs. 270
295295 (e) “Qualified violence prevention professional” means a prevention professional who 271
296296 meets the qualifications and conditions of section 503 of this title. 272
297297 Sec. 502. Medicaid plan amendment. 273
298298 (a) Within 60 days of the effective date of this title, the Director shall apply to the federal 274
299299 government for approval of an amendment to the Medicaid state plan to make community 275
300300 violence prevention services available, to the extent permitted by federal law, to any Medicaid 276
301301 beneficiary who has: 277
302302 (1) Been exposed to community violence; 278
303303 (2) A personal history of injury sustained as a result of an act of community 279
304304 violence; and 280
305305 (3) Been referred by a licensed health care provider or social services provider to 281
306306 receive community violence prevention services from a qualified violence prevention 282
307307 professional after such provider determines such beneficiary to be at elevated risk of a violent 283
308308 injury or retaliation resulting from another act of community violence. 284
309309 (b) The Director shall seek any federal approvals necessary to implement this title, 285
310310 including any federal waivers by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 286
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312312
313313 (c) Once federal approval has been applied for pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, 287
314314 the Director shall, in consultation with violence intervention organizations and community-based 288
315315 and hospital-based violence prevention programs: 289
316316 (1) Issue guidance on the use of community violence prevention services for 290
317317 beneficiaries who access these services under the medical assistance program; and 291
318318 (2) Determine the maximum allowable rates for community violence prevention 292
319319 services based on the medical assistance program fee-for-service outpatient rates for the same or 293
320320 similar services or any other data deemed reliable and relevant by the Director. 294
321321 Sec. 503. Qualified violence prevention professionals. 295
322322 (a) Within 90 days of the effective date of this title, the Department of Health shall, in 296
323323 consultation with the Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, approve at least one 297
324324 governmental or nongovernmental accrediting body with expertise in community violence 298
325325 prevention services to review and approve training and certification programs for qualified 299
326326 violence prevention professionals. The accrediting body shall approve programs that such body 300
327327 determines, in its discretion, will adequately prepare individuals to provide community violence 301
328328 prevention services to individuals who are victims of community violence. Such programs shall 302
329329 include at least 35 hours of training and address the following: 303
330330 (1) The effects of trauma and violence; 304
331331 (2) The basics of trauma-informed care; 305
332332 (3) Community violence prevention strategies, including conflict mediation and 306
333333 retaliation prevention related to community violence, case management, and advocacy practices; 307
334334 and 308
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336336
337337 (4) Patient privacy and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability 309
338338 Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-191). 310
339339 (b) Any prevention professional seeking certification as a qualified violence prevention 311
340340 professional shall: 312
341341 (1) Complete at least six months of full-time equivalent experience in providing 313
342342 community violence prevention services or youth development services through employment, 314
343343 volunteer work, or as part of an internship experience; 315
344344 (2) Complete the training and certification program approved by the Department 316
345345 of Health pursuant to subsection (a) of this section for qualified violence prevention 317
346346 professionals; 318
347347 (3) Complete annually at least four of continuing education by a provider 319
348348 approved by the Department of Health in the field of community violence prevention services; 320
349349 and 321
350350 (4) Satisfy any other requirements established by the Department of Health for 322
351351 certification as a qualified violence prevention professional. 323
352352 (c) Any entity that employs or contracts with a qualified violence prevention professional 324
353353 to provide community violence prevention services shall: 325
354354 (1) Maintain documentation that the qualified violence prevention professional 326
355355 has met all of the qualifications and conditions of subsection (b) of this section; and 327
356356 (2) Ensure that the qualified violence prevention professional is providing 328
357357 services in compliance with any applicable standards of care, rules, regulations, and laws. 329
358358 TITLE VI. FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT; EFFECTIVE DATE. 330
359359 Sec. 601. Fiscal impact statement. 331
360360 15
361361
362362 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 332
363363 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 333
364364 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 334
365365 Sec. 602. Effective date. 335
366366 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 336
367367 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 60-day period of congressional review as 337
368368 provided in section 602(c)(2) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 338
369369 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(2)), and publication in the District of 339
370370 Columbia Register. 340