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 "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 "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: 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: Breast Care for Washington & 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 "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 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 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: 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 [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 long-term care settings
Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
Age 18+ who work in high-risk settings
Age 18+ who live in 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: Get Vaccinated DC.

Ticket Amnesty Extended Through 2021

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 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! 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.