Photo by M.V. Jantzen

>> The $9.4 billion 2013 D.C. budget passed today on a second vote. Here are some of the ways it might affect you. An amendment that was floated by Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) to codify the freebie tickets he and his colleagues get for Nationals Park and the Verizon Center was never introduced.

>> Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) scored himself something a victory today by moving the council to approve an amendment pushing off cuts to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program for another year. Graham argued that the city wasn’t prepared to help transition families on TANF into new jobs or employment programs, and should use the year to ready itself for the 25 percent cut in benefits that would hit those that have been on the program for more than five years.

>> Graham again tried to scrap the extended bar hours on 19 days throughout the year, but his colleagues weren’t having it. Instead, they settled on a compromise of sorts—any bar that wants to stay open until 4 a.m. on those dates have to let the city know and file a special security plan for those purposes.

>> After a few months of debate, the council gave approval to a $20 million repayment of four furlough days taken by D.C. workers last year.

>> Are you a wine collector? Then Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) has something for you—a bill that would allow collectors to sell vintage wines to local stores and restaurants, something they’re not currently allowed to do.

>> Cheh and Councilmember Tommy Wells’ (D-Ward 6) bill mandating the broad modernization of the D.C. taxicab fleet was approved on a first vote, despite heated objections from councilmembers Vincent Orange (D-At Large) and Marion Barry (D-Ward 8). Cheh and Wells’ bill would bring credit card payment options, GPS tracking, increased training for drivers, and a uniform taxicab color—among other improvements—to D.C. cabs. All of those improvements would be funded by a 50-cent-per-ride surcharge that is expected to bring in an estimated $12 million a year. Cheh put out a statement with more details.

>> Up until now, you could get out of an automated traffic or speeding ticket by arguing that it wasn’t you driving the car. Under a bill proposed by Cheh that was voted on today, that won’t be permissible anymore—if someone else was driving your car, you’ll still be on the hook any tickets they get. (Except if it has been stolen.) WTOP has more details.

>> Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) introduced and the council unanimously supported emergency legislation mandating that D.C. police only hold undocumented immigrants wanted by the federal government for immigration violations for 24 hours. The bill is related to local opposition to Secure Communities, a federal immigration enforcement initiative. Exceptions would be made for any detainees wanted for violent or sex-based crimes during the last 10 years.