§ 3–641.02. Commission on Poverty; establishment.

(a) There is established the Commission on Poverty. The purpose of the Commission is to study issues surrounding poverty, evaluate current and previous poverty-reduction initiatives in the District and throughout the country to determine their effectiveness and, based on its research and evaluations, make comprehensive and continuing recommendations to the Mayor and the Council for strengthening and enhancing the economic status of persons in poverty in the District through initiatives that will also improve individuals' educational, wellness, and housing outcomes.

(b)(1) The Commission shall be composed of 19 appointed members, who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council pursuant to § 1-523.01(f), and 8 ex-officio members. All appointed members shall be residents of the District. Among the appointed members, there shall be 8 ward representatives, one from each ward, and 11 at-large representatives.

(2) To qualify as a member appointed from a ward, a person shall:

(A) Be in poverty at the time of the appointment, or have been in poverty at sometime within the previous 3 years;

(B) Have been a resident of the ward the member represents for at least one year before the date of appointment; and

(C) Remain a resident of the ward the member is appointed to represent throughout the member's term.

(3)(A) At least 2 of the members appointed at-large shall be in poverty at the time of the appointment or have been in poverty at sometime within the previous 3 years.

(B) To qualify as a member appointed at-large who is not appointed pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, a person shall be a resident of the District and have experience in areas of public policy or programs related to the particular interests, needs, and concerns of persons in poverty, including experience working in the following areas or with the following populations:

(i) Providing direct social services, whether through a government program, faith-based organization, community-based organization, or other organization;

(ii) Healthcare access and affordability;

(iii) People with mental illness;

(iv) Children and youth;

(v) Quality and equality in education;

(vi) Low wage workers' rights;

(vii) Adults 60 years of age or older;

(viii) The elimination of hunger;

(ix) People who are homeless;

(x) People with disabilities; or

(xi) Immigrants.

(4)(A) An appointed member of the Commission shall serve a term of 3 years; except, that of the initial members, 7 members shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, 6 shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, and 6 for a term of one year.

(B) Upon a vacancy occurring during a term, the Mayor shall appoint a successor with the advice and consent of the Council pursuant to § 1-523.01(f) to fill the unexpired portion of the term.

(C) An appointed member may be reappointed; except, that a member may not serve more than 2 terms, exclusive of partial terms served pursuant to subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.

(5) Appointed members of the Commission shall serve without compensation; except, that expenses incurred by the Commission as a whole, or by an individual member when the expense was duly authorized by the Chairperson of the Commission, shall be reimbursed pursuant to § 1-611.08(d).

(c) The following officials, or their designees, shall serve as non-voting ex-officio members, the:

(1) Director of the Department of Human Services;

(2) Director of the Department of Health;

(3) Director of the Child and Family Services Agency;

(4) Director of the Department of Employment Services;

(5) Chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools;

(6) Superintendent of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education;

(7) Director of the Department of Aging; and

(8) Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development.

(d) The Commission shall elect a chairperson from among its appointed members.

(e) A quorum of the Commission shall consist of a majority of the voting members.

(f) The Commission shall develop its own operating rules and procedures.

(g) The Commission may establish committees that address specific issues or populations.