Attached, please see an updated draft based on additional input from Councilmembers and the Executive.  I’ve also attached a section by section to help walk you through. 

 

 

Attached, please see the most recent working draft of the COVID-19 Emergency legislation proposed by the Chairman.  We are awaiting a few additional edits from the Executive and the OCFO but the broad policy goals are reflected in this document.  I apologize for the late circulation but hopefully this is welcome news for you to wake up to.  I’ll highlight a number of changes:

 

• With regard to tax deferrals, we are recommending a 90 day deferral of real property taxes for hotels and a 60 day deferral for other businesses.

 

• With regard to the Alliance, we are working on more comprehensive language that would provide for an extension of benefits such as alliance, TANF, SNAP and other benefit programs should the benefit expire during the public health emergency (not a renewal but an extension of an existing certification).  This will combine a few sections from the earlier draft into one.  We will also likely be continuing to work on provision related to licenses, registration, professional licenses, DMV licenses and tickets, etc.  

 

• There was also interest from some offices and advocates with respect to going beyond the eviction prohibition, instead ordering the courts to stay eviction proceedings.  However, this has been obviated by an announcement this afternoon where the Superior Court has indicated that such matters will be stayed.

 

As I’ve mentioned to some of those who have passed along constructive additions, the intent of the emergency bill is to remove statutory barriers to effectuate policies that are have broad appeal. We had several suggestions to add provisions that would require the Executive to do things that is already in their power (such as providing meals, outreach, and the like) and out of an abundance of caution, we are leaving those to the Executive to implement and suggest that offices pass those ideas along to the Mayor’s shop to encourage them to implement under its existing authority.

 

If you have edits or suggestions please provide them in redline back to me. We hope to update you later on Saturday with another version resolving some of the outstanding issues, incorporating additional edits, and perfecting the draft.  We are working in concert with all Councilmembers, the OCFO, and the Executive.  A number of the changes in this draft reflect drafting recommendations of the Council’s General Counsel Office which is also engaged in our drafting.

 

Please contact me if you have any questions – and thank you to all of the Members, staff, the Executive, and the OCFO who have contributed to this collaborative effort.  I emphasize that this is still a working draft, just a bit less rough than what we circulated Thursday.

 

Evan Cash

Committee and Legislative Director

Committee of the Whole

Chairman Phil Mendelson

 

John A. Wilson Building

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Suite 410

Washington, DC 20004

Tel: (202) 724-7002

http://www.chairmanmendelson.com/cow

 

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