Council Meets Three Times in One Day • Council of the District of Columbia

The Council frequently meets twice in a single day—with the thirteen councilmembers assembling first as the Committee of the Whole, then reconvening together shortly thereafter for a Legislative Meeting. However, at their most recent gathering, when the work at the Committee of the Whole and Legislative Meeting was done, the Council came together for a third time—for an organizational meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee in the Matter of Councilmember Jack Evans. In this final iteration, however, only twelve councilmembers met, because Jack Evans, as the subject of the investigation, does not serve on the Ad Hoc Committee.

At the Ad Hoc Committee meeting, councilmembers discussed the organization, schedule, rules, and plans for the Committee’s upcoming work. Its 90-day work period will commence when the Council’s General Counsel provides its Office of the Secretary with the final report prepared by the law firm the Council hired for that purpose.

Earlier in the day, at the prior meetings, the Council passed a resolution fleshing out the responsibilities of the Ad Hoc Committee, provided the first of two necessary approvals to a sexual assault victims’ rights bill, and approved a package of clarifications to the Budget Support Act that came into effect on October 1. Additionally, the Council unanimously overrode a mayoral veto of a bill clarifying that the establishment of the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities as an independent agency was effective as of July 22, and not October 1.

Measures introduced at the latest meeting, if enacted, would:

Require the disclosure of the existence of underground springs and streams under any property prior to its sale
Require hospitals to serve healthier food
Accelerate the District’s progress towards its goal of reaching an interim target towards “zero waste” through several specific initiatives
Designate an official poison control center for the District
Re-name the Douglas Recreation Center for community standout Elaine Carter
Create vouchers to cover the cost of rent applications
Provide for increased input in the location of hypothermia shelters
Establish the guidelines for the Mayor to submit a proposed FY 2021 budget to the Council

For a full list of votes taken at the most recent meeting, please click here.

The Council’s next Legislative Meeting will be held on November 5.