Monumental News for DC


 

Monumental Sports signed a Letter of Intent with the District of Columbia this week to remain at Capital One Arena until 2050. Fifteen weeks ago, I wrote: “Monumental can still choose to stay, and we stand ready to make it happen.” Keeping the Wizards and Capitals in our Nation’s Capital has always been the right move for the vitality of our Downtown. Our residents want the entertainment and sports programming the venue brings and expanded access to job and economic opportunities for decades to come. We’ve brought that work to the forefront and will continue focusing our efforts on renewed investments and shared goals for our post-pandemic Downtown recovery. 

We can and must do more to sustain the vitality of key neighborhoods and retail corridors across the District as thriving, vibrant, and safe places for residents and visitors alike. I look forward to working with the community and business leaders on efforts that will get more of our residents engaged and employed through this investment and will fight to ensure this upcoming budget cycle does more for those who need us now more than ever.

 

Fiscal Year 2025 Budget
 

Next week, the Council will receive the Administration's Proposed FY 2025 Budget. We know we're facing an environment of declining revenues as commercial real estate transactions have slowed and pandemic-related funding has ended. Like many other cities and states across the country, our costs continue to escalate at a rate that eclipses the growth of our revenues. We also know that investments we've made in WMATA and in public safety are necessary for our continued Downtown recovery efforts. You'll hear more from us next week about key takeaways as we review the budget submission. We'll also share forthcoming dates on Budget Oversight Hearings for the agency under the Committee on Business and Economic Development purview. Be sure to read our Budget Priorities Letter here. 

Sports Wagering Amendment Act of 2024

Sports wagering was legalized in the District of Columbia in 2019. The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) assumed two distinct roles in the District’s sports wagering offerings: regulating sports betting and operating its own app and kiosks. Last week, I introduced the Sports Wagering Amendment Act of 2024 to reform the District’s broken sports betting programs. We know all too well that the current sports wagering market has failed to live up to the promises it made to the District.  Working with a variety of stakeholders, I created a bill that will change the marketplace in multiple ways.  The bill would:

• Allow current Class A retail sportsbook operators (located at Audi Field, Capital One Arena, and Nationals Park) to provide their mobile application/platforms District-wide;
   
• Create a Class C mobile sports wagering license for sports teams who meet certain criteria, including being headquartered in the District of Columbia and playing 90% of their home games at a facility with a Class A retail sportsbook;
   
• Invest $1,000,000 in youth extracurricular activities from the proceeds of sports wagering revenues;
   
• Dedicate $300,000 to the Department of Behavioral Health to combat problem gambling.

These efforts ensure that no disruptions affect Class A and B operators who have already invested in retail sportsbooks in Downtown, Navy Yard, and other locations throughout the District. We need more competition in sports wagering platforms, and this bill will enable that. Existing law permits OLG to open up the mobile sports wagering market to multiple operators, but they haven’t chosen to exercise that authority.

My bill prioritizes consumers, who will get more competitive and better options, and long-term businesses who have invested and will continue investing in the District's vibrancy. There are also significant incentives for sports teams and their partners who stay in the District and continue to invest locally. Ultimately, these proposed changes will help the District reap more tax revenue and eliminate the need for bettors to cross into neighboring jurisdictions for their wagers. 

Read more about the bill in this Washington Post Article and watch this coverage on WUSA9.

 

Living Donor Protection Amendment Act of 2024
 

March is National Kidney Month, and last week, I was pleased to introduce the Living Donor Protection Amendment Act of 2024, along with Councilmembers Janeese Lewis George, Christina Henderson, Charles Allen, Brianne K. Nadeau, and Matthew Frumin. This legislation would ensure that living organ donors are protected from unfair insurance discrimination due to their status as living organ donors. It is estimated that nearly 200,000 individuals nationwide are living organ donors and 567 of those donors are Washingtonians,
 
According to the American Kidney Fund, states have enacted a patchwork of living organ donor protections in the absence of a comprehensive federal law. The two most common state protections for living organ donors are job-protected leave from public employers and protection from life, disability, or long-term care insurance discrimination. The Organ and Bone Marrow Donor Leave Amendment Act of 2002 provides District government employees paid leave to serve as organ or bone marrow donors. However, unlike 32 other states, the District has yet to enact a law to protect living organ donors from unfair insurance discrimination. Based solely on a person’s status as a living organ donor, the Living Donor Protection Amendment Act of 2024 would prohibit life, disability, and long-term care insurance companies from:

• Denying, canceling, or refusing to issue coverage;
• Determining the price or premium for coverage; or
• Otherwise varying any term or condition of an insurance policy.

Miss our 2023 Annual Report?
 

If you missed our annual 2023 report, you can still take a look here. In April, we're excited to share our Quarter 1 report covering our work since January!

             

Legislative Updates
 

On Friday, April 5th, the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. will be conducting a hearing on Bill 25-695, The Safe Neighborhoods Amendment Act of 2024. This bill would bring violence prevention under one independent roof, forming an independent agency that consolidates evidence-based, data-driven programs to ensure the District is unified in its approach to violence prevention and can implement these proven strategies. It would also help us increase MPD recruitment by reducing barriers and not limiting applicants who may have an adverse credit history and would permit High School Degree/GED holders to apply for Police Officer Roles. We need more officers from our city in our ranks, those familiar with the District’s people, neighborhood, and culture. It would also expand community policing by encouraging First Responders to live in the District by encouraging officers and firefighters to live in the communities they serve with a forgivable down payment assistance loan through the expansion of the First Responder Housing Assistance Program. You can read more about the bill via this coverage in DCist. Please be sure to sign up to testify by visiting Judiciary and Public Safety -Hearing - DC Council Hearings Management System before 10:00 am on Thursday, April 4, 2024. 

Street Sweeping Returns
 

Street sweeping resumed this month. Be sure to observe regulations posted on street signs and move your vehicles according to the sweeping schedule. Visit dpw.dc.gov for additional information!

DC Emergency Rental Assistance Program
 

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program application portal re-opens on Monday, April 1st, at 12:00 PM.  The DC Department of Human Services link to Frequently Asked ERAP Questions can be found at: https://erap.dhs.dc.gov/FAQs. In-person assistance is also available from 12:00 PM-4:00 PM at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library at 901 G Street, NW.



 

Healthy Homes Fair, Saturday, April 6th
 

Be sure to register today for the biggest home electrification event in the DMV on Saturday, April 6th, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM at the DC Armory! Visit the Healthy Homes Fair and explore the products, services, and incentives available to use our homes to combat climate change while increasing health and comfort. With over 50 exhibitors, an appliance “petting zoo,” an e-bike tasting party, a bouncy castle for the kids, food trucks, and much more, the Fair is bound to have something for everyone!

The jam-packed program will include induction cooking demonstrations, caulking workshops, and incentives calculator demos, equipping both renters and homeowners with the knowledge and tools they need to decarbonize their homes! Attendees can also participate in a scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes, such as state-of-the-art induction cooktops, portable plug-in versions, and more! 

DC Housing Authority Job Fair
 

The D.C. Housing Authority is conducting a job fair on Tuesday, April 9th, from 1 pm-7 pm. Positions include: Laborer, Maintenance Mechanic, Maintenance Foreman, Housing Managers, Housing Manager, Assistants, Security Officers, Special Police Officers & Police Officers. Visit www.dchousing.org to learn more. 

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Constituent Services Requests

Use https://311.dc.gov/citizen/home or connect with our Constituent Services Portal and Director, Kelley Cislo, at [email protected].
 

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