§ 24–1303. Establishment of the Commission on Re-Entry and Returning Citizen Affairs.

(a) There is established the Commission on Re-Entry and Returning Citizen Affairs to advise the Mayor, the Council, and the Director on the process, issues, and consequences of the reintegration of returning citizens 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;

(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 Rehabilitation Services;

(J) Director of the Department of Employment Services;

(K) Director of the Office of Human Rights;

(L) Director of the Department of Behavioral 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 returning citizens into the general population.

(3)(A) Voting members shall be appointed with due consideration for significant representation from the returning citizens community and established District-based public, private, nonprofit, and volunteer community organizations involved with the provision of services for returning citizens, 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 returning citizens.

(1) Serve as an advocate for returning citizens;

(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;

(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 returning citizens;

(4) Participate in public hearings and promote community dialogue concerning the issues confronting returning citizens;

(5) Review and comment on proposed legislation and regulations, policies, and programs and make policy recommendations on issues affecting returning citizens;

(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; Dec. 24, 2013, D.C. Law 20-61, § 3062(c), 60 DCR 12472; Dec. 13, 2018, D.C. Law 22-197, § 301(b), 65 DCR 9554.)

Section References

This section is referenced in § 24-1301.

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;”

The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 20-61 substituted “Office on Returning Citizens” for “Office on Ex-Offender Affairs” in the section heading and (a); substituted “returning citizens” for “ex-offender” throughout the section; and deleted “and returning citizens” from the end of (b)(8).

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3072(b) of Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2018 (D.C. Act 22-458, Oct. 3, 2018, 65 DCR 11212).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3072(b) of Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2018 (D.C. Act 22-434, July 30, 2018, 65 DCR 8200).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3062(c) of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-130, July 30, 2013, 60 DCR 11384, 20 DCSTAT 1827).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3062(c) of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-204, October 17, 2013, 60 DCR 15341, 20 DCSTAT 2311).

Short Title

Section 3061 of D.C. Law 20-61 provided that Subtitle G of Title III of the act may be cited as the “Returning Citizens Renaming Emergency Amendment Act of 2013”.

Editor's Notes

Applicability of D.C. Law 20-61: Section 11001 of D.C. Law 20-61 provided that, except as otherwise provided, the act shall apply as of October 1, 2013.