Recording in progress.

Good morning, everybody.

I would like to call to order this public hearing on the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

I am Councilmember Brooke Pinto, representing Ward 2 and chairwoman of the committee.

The time is 1049 a.m.

on Wednesday, March 18th, and we are conducting this public hearing in person in room 500 of the John A.

Wilson building and streaming on the DC Council's website and YouTube and X at CM Brook Pinto.

Thank you to everybody joining us today.

We are considering several bills before the committee today.

Bill 26 480, ensuring access to supporting engagement or ease for DOC Residents Act of 2025.

Bill 26-599, Emergency Medical Services Clarification Act of 2026, Bill 26-456, E911 Modernization Amendment Act of 2025, and Bill 26-572 to the Child Support Improvement Amendment Act of 2026.

The first bill we're discussing today is Bill 26-480, ensuring access to supporting engagement or ease for DOC residents of 2025.

This bill would codify the right of DOC residents to testify before the DC Council and engage with their ANC commissioner.

Thanks to the Restore the Vote Act of 2020, residents in the Department of Corrections have the right to vote in local and federal elections regardless of their incarceration status.

Since then, we've seen steady increases in civic participation.

Most recently, over 200 DOC residents voted in the 2024 DC primary election.

DOC residents also elect their own ANC commissioner who represents individuals who are housed at the Central Detention Facility and the Correctional Treatment Facility.

However, despite now having voting access, DOC residents are effectively excluded from another core democratic activity, which is testifying at DC council hearings.

This creates a gap for residents to fully participate in the democratic the democratic process.

Voting rights without the ability to participate in the legislative process create an incomplete democracy.

Despite many advancements in technology, allowing DOC residents to participate in council hearings has remained a challenge.

I've continually raised this issue with the agency since at least May of 2023.

I've attempted to work with DOC to provide this access to its residents without legislation for nearly three years.

I'm disappointed that DOC was unable to provide access for residents to testify today on this hearing on this subject.

Some of the barriers that they have raised.

First, limited Wi-Fi connectivity, second, staffing constraints, and third, the view that ANC 7F08 commissioners will sufficiently represent residents' interests.

However, these barriers I believe we can overcome.

The council has accepted remote testimony since the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating that the technology and process are feasible.

DOC already uses internet connected tablets and other digital tools to connect residents with outside service providers and educational programs.

Indeed, we expect that ANC 7F08 Commissioner will be able to testify virtually today himself.

Furthermore, while ANC representation is valuable, it is not feasible to assume that one person can accurately convey the thoughts, beliefs of over 2,000 people.

That's why I've introduced this bill before us today.

The Ease Act requires DOC to provide electronic devices and internet access so residents can register for DC council hearings as witnesses, submit written testimony, and deliver oral testimony via video conference at council hearings.

All processes that are available to everyone except those who are incarcerated.

The bill also requires DOC to develop policies and processes that support civic engagement, including educational materials about the legislative process and how residents can participate.

It ensures that there are multiple free communication methods to access their ANC commissioner and removes any potential cost barriers by providing no cost mailing options for testimony and correspondence to the council.

When we draft legislation, especially legislation that impacts DOC jail residents, it's crucial that we hear from residents who will be impacted.

And of course, residents are welcome to testify on any issue that they would like that's facing the DC council.

And it is particularly important to have their input as we conduct oversight of the DC jail where folks are staying.

This will strengthen the democratic participation and lead to better policymaking.

These are not individuals who cannot speak for themselves.

These are parents, family members, and community members with ties to our neighborhoods and all eight wards, and they deserve the same rights to civic engagement as everyone else.

I'm eager to hear from ANC Commissioner Cunningham, who represents residents in the DC jail on the challenges he faces with limited access to his constituency, and I remain hopeful that Director Faust will be amenable to the provisions outlined in this legislation.

Next, we have Bill 26 599, the Emergency Medical Services Clarification Amendment Act of 2026.

This bill aims to improve and protect accuracy in emergency and non-emergency call responses at the Office of Unified Communications, or OUC, home to the DC 911 call center.

The DC 911 call center is responsible for providing fast, professional, and cost effective response to emergency and non-emergency calls in the district.

OUC was established in 2005 to combine the emergency 911 non-emergency and 311 call activities for the Metropolitan Police Department, buyer and emergency medical services, and customer service operations.

Residents and visitors to the district deserve a 911 call center that is efficient, speedy, and accurate.

In past years, the committee and the council received a significant number of complaints from DOC residents about long call to answer waiting times, errors, and transparency issues at the agency.

Operational problems and mistakes at the agency over wrong addresses led to injuries and even tragic deaths.

Since that time, I've worked closely with the agency through oversight and legislation to institute and maintain needed improvements, including the public dashboard for reporting all 911 call errors, to increase transparency and accountability, provisions established in my secure DC Omnibus Amendment, excuse me, Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024, there have been important payoffs and progress in these efforts in terms of efficiency and speed under Director McGaffin's leadership.

In 2023, only 20 only 74% of calls the agency received were answered within 20 seconds or less, following rigorous oversight and work by the agency from fiscal year 2025 to the present of the 1.4 million calls the agency received, now 98% of those calls were answered in 20 seconds or less, well above the national standard.

Likewise, OUC has increased staff, and this committee has funded OUC call taker pay raises and recruitment and retention bonuses to ensure that staffing targets are met.

Whereas in July of 2024, only 13% of shifts met minimal staffing targets.

By July of 2025, 79% of shifts met their staffing targets.

While we have had these crucial improvements in efficiency and speed, further legislation is necessary to improve and protect accuracy in call responses.

The work of this agency is high stakes and in the public interest, any mistake or delay can have life-altering consequences.

My bill is introduced, does two things.

It clarifies the FIRE and EMS Medical Director statute to explicitly codify that the FIRE and EMS Medical Director is also the medical director to OUC to provide oversight supervision and final decision making for all clinical aspects of pre-hospital emergency and medical services, and clarifying the duties of the director.

The bill also confers upon the medical director explicit authority over selecting, revising, and establishing dispatch protocols and response plans regarding emergency medical services, as well as explicit authority over quality assurance of EMS dispatch and emergency medical services, including continuous quality improvement programs.