Press Releases

Currently, DPR operates and manages 14 indoor aquatic centers, 19 outdoor pools, 4 children’s pools, and 27 splash parks. It also has over 100 playgrounds and over 200 small parks that vary in size. Some of these community assets are woefully underutilized, and some are need of repair and refresh. Unfortunately, it is hard for the public to know which recreational facility will receive capital investments and when the funding will be appropriated. The PARKSNREC Act seeks to change that.

"The District’s traffic safety enforcement regime is unique. Unlike most other jurisdictions in the United States, the District has largely withdrawn from its reliance on police officers to enforce traffic laws. Police generally intervene in situations in which drivers are egregiously violating traffic safety laws and pose a clear and immediate danger to themselves and others. Currently, fines and points on a driving record are assigned for moving violations when the violation is recorded by a police officer. Only fines are assessed for moving violations captured by automated traffic enforcement (“ATE”) systems. This legislation will require assessing one point against the driving record of an individual for each violation detected by an ATE system and one additional point for a moving violation in a school zone. The first moving violation detected by an ATE system in a two-year period will be waived."

“Over the past year, the Council has heard from teachers, prospective volunteers, community-based organizations, parents, and school leaders about the detrimental impacts arising from backlogs in the District’s processing of prospective teachers’ and volunteers’ applications. The intent of this legislation is to increase the efficiency of the educator and volunteer hiring process while ensuring the safety of our students. While a typical background check should take about 3 weeks, our current turnaround time is upwards of 3 months. This has affected our schools’ ability to recruit and hire critical staff such as substitute teachers, tutors, and programmatic staff,” said Councilmember Henderson.

Earlier this summer, I sent a letter to Director Lott regarding the automated traffic enforcement program. DDOT responded, detailing their rationale behind the program and its technology. See my letter and their presentation below.

Washington DC – Today, Councilmember Christina Henderson introduced the Commission on Public Compensation Establishment Amendment Act of 2022. This legislation would establish a Commission on Public Compensation to review and make recommendations on the compensation and stipend levels for the members of Council of the District Columbia, the Mayor, the Attorney General, the members of the State Board of Education, and several public commissions and boards.

“Every individual who has served their time deserves a fair chance to thrive in the District of Columbia once they return home. We know that women experience incarceration differently than men, and our re-entry services should reflect this reality,” said Councilmember Christina Henderson. “This legislation would establish a group to think critically about and advise DC government on the unique needs facing women who are returning citizens.”