Yesterday’s legislative action in the D.C. Council, typical of end-of-session days, was jam-packed with votes. Here’s a few more you may have missed:
>> The Council moved ahead on a bill that restricts interest rates levied by the so-called payday loan industry, an issue we’ve looked at before. The bill passed on an initial reading, and if implemented would place a 24 percent annual percentage rate cap on interest charged by lenders. The Examiner notes that Council members were pretty miffed that CFO Natwar Gandhi took it upon himself to draft a report warning that such a bill would reduce tax income for the city — the bill’s sponsor, Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) quipped: “What the CFO has focused on is whether we’re spending more than we’re bringing in. If this is his new front in financial supervision, well, then he might as well put himself in charge of the entire District government.”
>> By a 9 to 2 vote, the Council gave final approval to the proposal to implement a 3-year moratorium on single sales of alcohol H Street NE. The ABC Board will give the affected businesses a 30-day grace period before beginning enforcement, which includes a ban on the sale of single containers of beer and liquor sold in half-pint volume.
>> The Council adopted legislation that permits the Sentencing Commission to continue monitoring and amending the voluntary sentencing guidelines for use by criminal justice practitioners. The emergency legislation, sponsored by Phil Mendelson, (D-At Large) allows the Commission to make changes in light of new information and changing circumstances.
>> $140 million in bonds were approved to finance development projects at the Southwest Waterfront, Southeast Federal Center, Hill East Waterfront- Reservation 13, Poplar Point, Kingman and Heritage Islands.
>> The Council also passed a bill that authorizes Mayor Fenty to seek an independent receiver to operate the beleaguered Greater Southeast Community Hospital in the event of an emergency. The move also gives the Council’s health committee power to subpoena the financial records of the company that owns the hospital and compel testimony of its officers.
Photo by Eye Captain.
