5523391 Public Hearing on B21-28, Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2015, B21-124, Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2015, and B21-250, Comprehensive Code of Conduct of the District of Columbia Establishment and BEGA Amendment Act of 2015

Council of the District of Columbia

COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY

Notice of Public Hearing

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004  

 

Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Chairperson

Committee on the Judiciary

 

Announces a Public Hearing on

 

B21-0028, the “Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2015”

B21-0124, the “Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2015” and

B21-0250, the “Comprehensive Code of Conduct of the District of Columbia Establishment and BEGA Amendment Act of 2015”

 

Wednesday, July 8, 2015, 2 p.m.

Room 120, John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20004

 

On Wednesday, July 8, 2015, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary, will hold a public hearing on B21-0028, the “Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2015”, Bill 21-0124, the “Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2015”, and Bill 21-0250, the “Comprehensive Code of Conduct of the District of Columbia Establishment and BEGA Amendment Act of 2015”. The hearing will take place in Room 120 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., at 2 p.m.

The stated purpose of Bill 21-0028 is to expand the definition of “qualified elector” to include permanent residents for the purpose of local elections.

The stated purpose of Bill 21-0124 is to eliminate the requirement that the Ethics Board annually report to the Council on the same specific questions; to increase the size of the Ethics Board from 3 to 5 members; to authorize the Ethics Board to impose monetary sanctions on parties for delay or bad faith in proceedings; to correct a drafting error regarding the forum for appeals of Ethics Board decisions; to authorize the Ethics Board to bar respondents from lobbying for a period of up to two years upon the finding of a Code of Conduct violation; to enhance reporting requirements for contributions to Advisory Neighborhood Commissions; and to enlarge the time to file activity reports.

The stated purpose of Bill 21-0250, the “Comprehensive Code of Conduct of the District of Columbia Establishment and BEGA Amendment Act of 2015”, is to amend the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2011 to establish the Comprehensive Code of Conduct of the District of Columbia.

The Committee invites the public to testify or to submit written testimony. Anyone wishing to testify should contact Kate Mitchell, Committee Director for the Committee on the Judiciary, at [phone], or via e-mail at [e-mail], and provide their name, telephone number, organizational affiliation, and title (if any) by close of business, July 2, 2015. Representatives of organizations will be allowed a maximum of five minutes for oral testimony, and individuals will be allowed a maximum of three minutes. Witnesses should bring fifteen copies of their written testimony and, if possible, also submit a copy of their testimony electronically to [e-mail].

For witnesses who are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements will be made part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted either to the Committee on the Judiciary or to Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 5, Washington, D.C. 20004.  The record will close at the end of the business day on July 14, 2015.