5634068 Public Hearing on Beyond 100 Homicides: Violent Crime in the District of Columbia and Bill 21-261, Sale of Synthetic Drugs 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

 

 

Beyond 100 Homicides: Violent Crime in the District of Columbia

 

and

 

Bill 21-0261, the “Sale of Synthetic Drugs Amendment Act of 2015”

 

 

Wednesday, September 16, 2015, 5:00 p.m.

Council Chambers, Room 500

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

 Washington, D.C. 20004

 

 

On Wednesday, September 16, 2015, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie, Chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary, will hold a public hearing on rising violent crime in the District of Columbia and Bill 21-0261, the “Sale of Synthetic Drugs Amendment Act of 2015”. The hearing will be held in the Council Chambers, Room 500, at the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., at 5:00 p.m.

On August 22, 2015, the 100^th homicide of the year was committed in the District of Columbia. These homicides and other violent crimes have devastated families and communities across the city. The purpose of this hearing is to discuss the steps that the District is taking to prevent and respond to violent crime, to address the underlying causes, and to explore community partnerships.

The hearing will also include the consideration of legislation to combat the buying and selling of synthetic drugs. The stated purpose of Bill 21-0261 is to enable the Mayor to suspend or revoke the business license of businesses engaged in the buying or selling of synthetic drugs; to enable the Chief of Police to seal a business licensee’s premises for up to 96 hours for the buying or selling of a synthetic drug; to designate the sale of a synthetic drug as a per se imminent danger to the health or safety of District residents; and to provide for an administrative hearing after the sealing of a business licensee’s premises. The Council passed similar emergency and temporary legislation in July.

The Committee invites the public to testify or to submit written testimony. Anyone wishing to testify at the hearing should contact Kate Mitchell, Committee Director, 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, September 11, 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 twenty 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 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 September 30, 2015.