The Committee on the Judiciary is responsible for any legislation related to criminal, civil, and administrative law in the District of Columbia. It also oversees all of the District’s public safety agencies,
and conducts hearings to hold agencies and their directors accountable for performance and spending.
Click on the Committee page
for more information.
2.24.12 - Judiciary Committee to Hold Performance Hearings on Agencies
Beginning on Friday, February 24, 2012, Councilmember Mendelson, Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary, will hold performance oversight hearings on all agencies under the Committee's purview. These annual hearings kick off on February 24th for the Committee, with additional hearings on Wednesday, February 29th and Friday, March 7th. For a listing of what agencies will appear before the Committee on each hearing date see the list of hearings at right. Additional hearings to discuss the proposed budget for each agency will take place following release of the Mayor's budget proposal on March 23, 2012.
To
find out more information on these hearings, or to sign up to testify, please
contact the
Committee.
1.30.12 - Mendelson Schedules Hearing on
Two Gun Bills
On Monday, January 30, 2012,
the Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on two firearm related measures.
The first, the "Gun
Offender Pretrial Detention and Supervision Act of 2011" (Bill 19-485),
would amend Chapter 13 of Title 23 of the District of Columbia Official Code to
require that a person charged with any firearm related offense shall wear a
detection device pending trial, and to require pretrial detention for any
individual who commits a firearm related offense while on release pending trial,
imposition or execution of a sentence or an appeal, or while on probation,
parole, or supervised release.
The second bill, the "Firearms
Amendment Act of 2011" (Bill 19-614), would
amend the firearms laws of the
District of Columbia to define “firearm instructor” and allow a person to
temporarily possess a firearm while participating in a firearms training and
safety course; to clarify that the requirement to demonstrate knowledge of the
District’s firearms laws is a one-time requirement per applicant; to repeal the
requirement for a vision test; to repeal the requirement that each pistol be
submitted for ballistic identification as part of the registration process; to
harmonize various provisions in the laws pertaining to firearms; and to make
other technical corrections and clarifications.
The hearing will begin at 11:00am in
the Council Chamber. Contact the
Committee to sign up to testify at the
hearing.
PHIL IN THE NEWS
11.10.11 -
Mendelson fields testimony:
Hate-crime hearing draws activists and police - and differing perspectives
(Metro Weekly)
Throughout the hearing, Mendelson asked the witnesses, including Lanier, for
reasons for a possible increase in violence, but none could provide a definitive
answer.
11.7.11 -
Pick to lead D.C.'s 911 agency pledges to fix morale, service (Washington
Times)
“I think you’re in a position to be
heavy-handed here, and I think you should be with the carriers," Mr. Mendelson
said [of the need to address the long-standing problem of 911 calls from
Northwest bouncing off cell towers in Montgomery County and landing with
dispatchers in Maryland instead of the District].
11.3.11 -
Hate crimes on the rise; no
one knows why (WTOP)
Councilmember Phil Mendelson, chair of the Committee on
the Judiciary, called a hate crimes hearing in response to recent attacks
against members of the transgender community. He expressed a deep desire to
understand why they are happening and what can be done to prevent them.
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February 24,
2010
- The Sosua Fire Truck
- Another Constituent Services Success Story
- Upcoming Committee Hearings
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