For the purposes of this chapter, the term:
(1) "Commission means the Commission on Re-entry and Ex-Offender Affairs established by § 24-1303(a).
(2) "Director" means the Executive Director of the Office on Ex-Offender Affairs.
(3) "Ex-offenders" means persons who were previously incarcerated.
(4) "Office" means the Office on Ex-Offender Affairs established by § 24- 1302(a).
(Mar. 8, 2007, D.C. Law 16-243, § 2, 54 DCR 605.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
Law 16-243, the "Office on Ex-Offender Affairs and Commission on Re-entry and Ex-Offender Affairs Establishment Act of 2006", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 16-910, which was referred to Committee on Government Operations. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 14, 2006, and December 5, 2006, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on December 28 2006, it was assigned Act No. 16-599 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 16-243 became effective on March 8, 2007.
Miscellaneous Notes
Section 5 of D.C. Law 16-243 provided that this act shall take effect subject to inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.
Section 7083 of D.C. Law 17-219 repealed section 5 of D.C. Law 16-243.
(a) There is established the Office on Ex-Offender Affairs. The Office shall coordinate and monitor service delivery to ex-offenders. The Office shall make recommendations to the Mayor to promote the general welfare, empowerment, and reintegration of ex-offenders in the areas of employment and career development, health care, education, housing, and social services.
(b)(1) The Office shall be headed by an Executive Director, who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council pursuant to § 1-523.01(a). The Director shall be a full-time employee, for whom annual compensation shall be fixed in accordance with subchapter X-A of Chapter 6 of Title 1.
(2) The Director shall:
(A) Serve as principal advisor to the Mayor on matters related to the reintegration of ex-offenders into the general population;
(B) Serve as an advocate for the ex-offenders;
(C) Respond to recommendations and policy statements from the Commission;
(D) Identify areas for service improvement and policy development and implementation for presentation to the Mayor and the Commission by funding research, hosting symposia, and undertaking other projects;
(E) Coordinate efforts of District government agencies targeted toward ex-offenders;
(F) Accept volunteer services and funding from public and private sources to supplement the budget in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Office;
(G) Apply for, receive, and expend any gift or grant to further the purposes of the Office;
(H) File an annual report on the operations of the Office with the Mayor and the Council; and
(I) Meet and coordinate with members of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, as set forth in § 22-4233(a), and their designates, to disseminate information and recommendations to and from the voting members of the Commission.
(3) The Office shall have staff as funded by appropriations and federal or private grants.
(Mar. 8, 2007, D.C. Law 16-243, § 3, 54 DCR 605; Jan. 19, 2012, D.C. Law 19-80, § 2(a), 58 DCR 8908.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 19-80, in subsec. (b)(2), deleted "and" from the end of subpar. (G ), substituted "; and" for a period the end of par. (H), and added par. (I).
Legislative History of Laws
For Law 16-243, see notes following § 24-1301.
Law 19-80, the "Returning Citizens and Ex-Offender Services Reform Amendment Act of 2011", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 19-1, which was referred to the Committee on Housing and Workforce Development. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on July 12, 2011, and September 20, 2011, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on October 11, 2011, it was assigned Act No. 19-170 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 19- 80 became effective on January 19, 2012.
(a) There is established the Commission on Re-entry and Ex-Offender Affairs to advise the Mayor, the Council, and the Director on the process, issues, and consequences of the reintegration of ex-offenders into the general population.
(b)(1) The Commission shall consist of 15 public voting members appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council pursuant to § 1- 523.01(a). There shall also be 13 ex-officio non-voting members, including the following officials or their designees:
(A) Attorney General;
(B) Director of the Department of Human Services;
(C) Director of the Department of Health;
(D) Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development;
(E) Director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs;
(F) Superintendent of Education of the District of Columbia;
(G) President of the University of the District of Columbia;
(H) Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department;
(I) Director of the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services;
(J) Director of the Department of Employment Services;
(K) Director of the Office of Human Rights;
(L) Director of the Department of Mental Health; and
(M) Director of the Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration, or the administrative head of the agency or the successor agency within the Department of Health responsible for administering substance abuse prevention and treatment services.
(2) Ex-officio members or their designees shall develop and implement policies and programs in their respective agencies that will ensure that the purposes of this chapter are accomplished. Ex-officio members or their designees shall meet with the Director, at a minimum, once per quarter in planning and coordinating policies and programs to assist in the successful reintegration of ex-offenders into the general population.
(3)(A) Voting members shall be appointed with due consideration for significant representation from the ex-offenders community and established District-based public, private, nonprofit, and volunteer community organizations involved with the provision of services for ex-offenders, the incarcerated, and their families.
(B) Voting members of the Commission shall serve terms of 3 years except, that of the initial members, 5 shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, 5 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, and 5 shall be appointed for a term of one year. Members may be reappointed, but shall not serve more than 3 consecutive full terms. Terms for the initial Commission members shall begin on the date that a majority of the members are sworn in, which date shall become the anniversary date for all subsequent appointments.
(C) If a vacancy occurs on the Commission, the Mayor shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the Council, a successor to fill the unexpired portion of the term in accordance with § 1-523.01(a).
(4) The Mayor shall appoint the Chairperson of the Commission.
(5) All members of the Commission shall serve without compensation. Expenses incurred by the Commission or by its individual members, when authorized by the Chairperson, shall become an obligation to the extent of appropriated District of Columbia and federal funds designated for that purpose.
(6) The Commission shall adopt rules of procedure.
(7) The Commission shall meet monthly. The meetings shall be held in space provided by the District government and shall be open to the public. A quorum to transact business shall consist of a majority, plus one, of the voting members.
(8) At least one of the 15 public voting members of the Commission shall be a member of a group, organization, or service provider that focuses on the needs of female ex-offenders and returning citizens.
(c) The Commission shall:
(1) Serve as an advocate for ex-offenders;
(2) Review and submit to the Mayor, the Council, and the Office an annual report that shall be submitted to the Mayor and the Council within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, be the subject of a public hearing before the Council, and include:
(A) A summary of the recommendations of the Commission, including a summary of required monthly meetings pursuant to subsection (b)(7) of this section;
(B) A budget breakdown, with supporting budget documents, detailing the fiscal implications of the Commission's recommendations;
(C) Executive branch policy and legislative priorities of the Commission for the following fiscal year; and
(D) A summary of community outreach efforts undertaken by members of the Commission;
(3) Develop sustainable relationships and coordinate with federal, state and private agencies working with ex-offenders;
(4) Participate in public hearings and promote community dialogue concerning the issues confronting ex-offenders;
(5) Review and comment on proposed legislation and regulations, policies, and programs and make policy recommendations on issues affecting ex-offenders;
(6) Develop policy and provide continuing review of the planning undertaken by the Office; and
(7) Make reasonable requests for information necessary to effectuate the discharge of its responsibilities.
(Mar. 8, 2007, D.C. Law 16-243, § 4, 54 DCR 605; Jan. 19, 2012, D.C. Law 19-80, § 2(b), 58 DCR 8908.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 19-80, in subsec. (b)(1), substituted "13 ex-officio" for "11 ex-officio" in the lead-in language, deleted "and" at the end of subpar. (J), substituted a semicolon for a period at the end of subpar. (K), and add subpars. (L) and (m); and rewrote subsec. (c)(2), which formerly read:
"(2) Review and submit to the Mayor, the Council, and the Office an annual report, made available to the public, that includes a comprehensive analysis of the needs of ex-offender;"
Legislative History of Laws
For Law 16-243, see notes following § 24-1301.
For history of Law 19-80, see notes under § 24-1302.
