Greetings!
The DC Council passed a series of my key bills as Council Period 22 ended. We've worked so hard these past two years, and I was proud to get so many more of my bills passed just under the wire today.
My bill, the
Economic Development Return on Investment Accountability Amendment Act,
passed. It creates long-awaited transparency and accountability for the money DC spends on economic development projects. This bill gives residents a public report on new affordable housing units, jobs, and new revenue to the city for every project that gets public funds.
The Council passed my
Performing Arts Promotion Amendment Act
unanimously! I wrote this bill to address the loss of small music venues in the District and create additional opportunities for artists to showcase their talent. This bill will provide financial incentives to encourage local businesses to host live performances.
The Council also unanimously passed the
LGBTQ Health Data Collection Amendment Act
. I co-introduced this bill with Councilmember David Grosso to require the city to continue to utilize annual health surveys that help us understand and provide for the health needs of the LGBTQ community, despite Trump’s attempts to ignore the community’s needs.
My
Housing Rehabilitation Incentives Regulation Amendment Act
became part of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Omnibus Amendment Act, which passed the Council today. The bill requires DCRA to better protect tenants from poor living conditions, ensures substandard housing is quickly repaired, and holds slumlords accountable when they break the law.
The
District of Columbia Education Research Advisory Board and Collaborative Establishment Amendment Act
passed today, too. This bill is a huge step forward on accountability and rebuilding public trust in our public-school system. The District will soon have an independent entity to conduct education research and measure the progress of our schools, removing politics from our education policy.
This was a very productive council period with months of hard work on major pieces of legislation. With these key wins, we are moving into 2019 strong.
My best,
Robert
