4289066 Resolution 20-85, “Safety-Based Traffic Enforcement Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2013”
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A RESOLUTION
20-85
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
April 9, 2013
To declare the existence of an emergency, due to Congressional review, with respect to the need to require the Mayor to assess the potential safety impact from lower fines, to post general automated enforcement warning signs, to evaluate existing speed limits and revise existing speed limits through rulemaking, and to submit an automated enforcement expansion plan, to prohibit the Mayor from adopting an order, regulation, or rule concerning posted speed limits by emergency rulemaking, and to repeal any such order, regulation, or rule adopted after December 15, 2012; to amend the District of Columbia Traffic Adjudication Act of 1978 to modify the process for Council approval of mayoral changes to the fine schedule; to amend the Pedestrian Protection Amendment Act of 1987 with regard to when a vehicle must stop for a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection; and to amend the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to reduce traffic fines for certain moving violations, including speeding, failure to clear the intersection, failure to stop and give right-of-way to a pedestrian in a roadway, failure to come to a complete stop before turning right on red, and failure to obey a “no turn on red” sign.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Safety-Based Traffic Enforcement Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2013”.
Sec. 2. (a) There exists an immediate need to implement the provisions of Bill 19-1013, the Safety-Based Traffic Enforcement Amendment Act of 2012, which was approved by the Council on 2nd reading on December 18, 2012.
(b) Bill 19-1013 amends the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to reduce the fines for several traffic violations, including speeding, failure to clear an intersection, right turn on red violations, and failure to stop and give right of way to a pedestrian in a roadway. Bill 19-1013 further requires that the Mayor transmit to the Council an assessment of any safety impact resulting from the fine reductions under the bill, post signs identifying the District as a strict traffic enforcement zone, transmit to the Council a plan for the expansion of automated traffic enforcement in the District, complete a District-wide assessment of speed limits, and revise existing speed limits in the District through rulemaking. Bill 19-1013 also clarifies the requirements for a vehicle stopping for a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
(c) At the December 18, 2012, legislative meeting, the Council adopted the provisions of Bill 19-1013 on an emergency basis, the Safety-Based Traffic Enforcement Emergency Amendment Act of 2012, signed by the Mayor on January 19, 2103 (D.C. Act 19-635; 60 DCR 1731), but that measure is set to expire on April 19, 2013. As the permanent version of the bill is not projected to become law until May 7, 2013, a Congressional review emergency is necessary to prevent a gap in the law.
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Safety-Based Traffic Enforcement Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2013 be adopted after a single reading.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
