October 6, 2021

Coronavirus Update:

Dear Neighbors,

At the first Legislative Meeting of the fall session, the Council moved
emergency legislation to respond to a number of coronavirus school safety
concerns raised by parents, students, and our DC Public Schools (DCPS)
community. This legislation does not address every issue raised at the
Council's recent school hearings, or even all that Members would like to
see happen immediately. And a primary reason for this bill's limitations is
cost: unless the Mayor commits to reprogramming funding, emergency
legislation moved by the Council must be cost neutral. For example, I want
to see greatly increased testing of students and staff and mandated outdoor
teaching where school classrooms are overcrowded. Unfortunately, those
items and others have a financial impact and could not be legally
legislated in emergency legislation, resulting in a scaled down version of
the "[1]Protecting our Children Emergency Amendment Act."

Everyone agrees that in person learning is best for our children. The
emergency legislation bill is just one part of our continuing work to make
our schools safe. I will continue to advocate for additional changes and
put pressure on the Mayor to provide funding. Here is what the emergency
legislation was able to do:

1) Require DCPS and Charter Schools to offer virtual learning options to
those students with high-risk medical conditions whose doctor "recommends"
(not "requires") they receive distance learning and to those students who
are ineligible for the vaccine and live with a person with a high-risk
medical condition

2) Expands the definition of an “excused absence” to include instances
where a student's family determined that he/she had a close COVID-19
contact and kept the student home. Effectively, this requires schools to
reclassify previously unexcused absences as 'excused'

3) Establishes the following reporting requirements:
* Notice sent to all parents/guardians of students in an affected
classroom (rather than just reporting school-wide cases) within 24 hours of
a confirmed COVID-19 case
* Weekly reporting of all positive cases and quarantine data (for
students and staff) with additional reporting of grade-level data
* Biweekly reporting of open HVAC work orders, including status and
anticipated date of final repair, on the Department of General Services'
website
* Biweekly reporting of unfulfilled outdoor learning equipment requests
by school, listing outstanding equipment requests and anticipated
delivery/installation dates

One critical piece that I had wanted to include in yesterday's emergency
legislation was a vaccination requirement for all eligible students. We
already mandate that students receive over ten vaccines to attend our
public schools, and I see no reason the FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines
should be any different. My colleagues were more comfortable moving forward
with such a mandate after a public hearing process, and we will pursue this
measure through the "[2]Coronavirus Immunization of School Students and
Early Childhood Workers Amendment Act of 2021" (introduced by
Councilmembers Henderson, Nadeau, Allen, Silverman, Lewis-George, and
myself). A hearing on this bill is scheduled for October 27th, and it
appears that a contingency has already come forward in opposition to
vaccination efforts. For anyone who would like to lend their voice and
perspective on this issue, please sign up to testify (or submit written
testimony). Instructions on how to do so are available: [3]here.

Regards,

Mary

Recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Councilmember Cheh invited the Council to go pink in recognition of Breast
Cancer Awareness Month.

Women in the District of Columbia have the highest breast cancer mortality
rate in the nation. Early detection and equitable access to healthcare
saves lives.

Please remain diligent in your own care and help share local breast cancer
resources: [4]Breast Care for Washington & [5]Project Wish.

Legislative Update: New PSC Nominee Qualifications

Securing Renewable Energy Expertise - The Council voted 10-3 today in
support of emergency legislation introduced by Councilmember Cheh to
immediately put in place a baseline of qualifications for Mayoral nominees
to the Public Service Commission (PSC).

The Background: The PSC is an independent body responsible for oversight of
the District’s electric and natural gas utilities. The work of the PSC has
an effect on the day-to-day lives of every resident in the District—from
ensuring fair and affordable rates for utility service, to playing a key
role in the District’s efforts to meet its climate goals. The PSC is a
three member body who's members serve four year terms. Aside from a
residency requirement and some conflict of interest provisions, there are
no experience or expertise qualifications required for service on the PSC.

Why legislation is needed: The current PSC Chair has been nominated for a
position within the Biden Administration, leaving an upcoming vacancy on
the Commission. The District has set aggressive climate goals, and the
PSC—including a well-functioning, renewables-supportive energy market—is
essential to achieving those goals. Previous appointees have been quite
accomplished in their established careers, but lacked relevant experience.
The next Commissioner must be qualified to do this work.

What the legislation does: Councilmember Cheh's emergency legislation
immediately puts into place the following qualifications for nominations:
* Seat 1: Experience with electric grid modernization and renewable
energy integration or technology and, where possible, issues affecting the
environment
* Seat 2: Experience in consumer protection
* Seat 3: Given the diversity of experience that could be relevant to
serving on the Commission, there are no set qualifications for the third
seat

The bottom line: Putting in place a baseline of qualifications for
appointees to the Public Service Commission will ensure that the Commission
is filled with relevant subject matter experts ready to advance the
District's ambitious climate goals and consumer protection needs.

Sharable Electric Scooters to be Locked After Use

New Scooter Locking - The final piece of Councilmember Cheh's "[6]Shared
Fleet Devices Amendment Act" has gone into effect this month, requiring
sharable electric scooters to be locked after use rather than left free
standing on the sidewalk. With many scooters left obstructing the sidewalk,
ADA ramps, and driveways, this change aims to increase sidewalk
accessibility and ensure that scooters aren't left to blow over in the wind
or obstruct the public space.

Riders may lock scooters to a bike rack, sign post, or bike/scooter corral
after use. Scooters may not be locked to parking meters, bus shelters,
private fences or gates, garbage cans, or trees.

The District Department of Transportation will be installing hundreds of
new bike racks (upwards of 1,000 over the next year) to accommodate this
new requirement and the growing number of bicycles across the District. For
more on this effort, please see [7]WTOP.

The Wilson High School Renaming Effort Advances

August Wilson High School - The Council's Committee of the Whole held a
public hearing on legislation to rename Ward 3's Woodrow Wilson High School
to [8]August Wilson High School, after the late African American
playwright. The name proposal comes after years of advocacy by community
members and students, as well as a DC Public Schools community survey that
named August Wilson as the leading preference for the renaming effort.

The hearing broadcast is available here: [9]www.ChairmanMendelson.com/live.

If you were unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are
encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Written
statements should be submitted to [10][email protected].

The record will close at 5:00 pm on October 18th.

Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Boosters 101

Pfizer Vaccine Boosters Available - Studies show that after getting
vaccinated against COVID-19, protection against the virus may decrease over
time. And, although vaccination remains effective in preventing severe
disease, emerging evidence shows that vaccine effectiveness against
COVID-19 infections among healthcare and frontline workers is decreasing
over time. This lower efficacy is likely due to a combination of waning
immunity and the greater infectiousness of the Delta variant.

Results from a recent clinical trial show that a third Pfizer-BioNTech shot
increased the immune response in trial participants, leading the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to recommend a third "booster"
dose for those who completed their Pfizer-BioNTech series at least 6 months
ago.

The District is following the CDC guidance and has made Pfizer-BioNTech
booster shots available for the following categories of residents who
completed their initial Pfizer series at least 6 months ago:
* 65 years and older
* Age 18+ who live in [11]long-term care settings
* Age 18+ who have [12]underlying medical conditions
* Age 18+ who work in [13]high-risk settings
* Age 18+ who live in [14]high-risk settings

Booster shots are available through private healthcare providers or at any
of the 153 locations around the District that offer the safe, free, and
effective COVID-19 vaccines: [15]Get Vaccinated DC.

Ticket Amnesty Extended Through 2021

[16]

Reminder - Visitor Parking Passes Extended Through the End of 2021

Update from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) - Previously
set to expire on September 30th, 2021, the 2020 Annual Visitor Parking
passes will now remain valid until January 2022.

DDOT recently launched a new [17]ParkDC Permits online portal in the effort
to reduce instances of fraud and the selling of visitor parking passes.
Unfortunately, the proposal has proven to be quite difficult for residents,
because it involves printing out a pass each and every time it is need.
There are many practical problems with this requirement. Councilmember Cheh
has asked DDOT to go back to the drawing board to work out a better
proposal and, in the meantime, delay the implementation of the new program.
DDOT has agreed to this and extended the 2020 passes through the end of
2021.

Ending this Update on a Happy Note:

Key Elementary School Honored as a Green Ribbon School

Top Sustainable Schools - F.S. Key Elementary School in Ward 3 has been
honored as a Green Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education!
[18]The Green Ribbon Award is given to those schools that demonstrate an
exceptional level of sustainability practices, environmental education, and
the prioritization of green building infrastructure.

Key was selected based on the school's longstanding environmental efforts
and the wonderful work being done by the Student Green Team to tackle
student food waste and building energy use, the support of pollinator
gardens and native plant species, and school-wide plastics reduction work.

(Pictured above) Principal David Landeryou receiving the Green Ribbon Award
plaque alongside Key's Environmental Specialist, Alexandra Harbold.
(Pictured below) Photos by Alexandra Harbold depicting some of Key's
environmental projects.

Our Office is Open!

Connect with our staff - While Councilmember Cheh's physical office is
closed during the public health emergency, she and her staff are
teleworking and will remain accessible for residents.

You may continue to reach us via phone through our main line at (202)
724-8062 with legislative ideas, budget requests, and constituent services
requests.

[19]Facebook [20]Twitter

FOLLOW MARY

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Mary Cheh
Mary Cheh Ward 3
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NWSuite 108
Washington, DC 20004
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