Last week, DCFPI and several other organizations submitted recommendations to Chairman Mendelson on ways to improve the transparency of the DC Council’s operations and to improve public access to information on actions of the Council. From requiring five days’ notice before a legislative mark-up is held , to improving the accessibility of the Wilson Building, to adding greater detail to the legislative information online, we hope the Chairman and the rest of the Council will take these recommendations into consideration as they set the Council Rules for Council Period 20 starting in January.
The recommendations focus on eight major areas: hearing/roundtable procedures, hearing/meeting logistics, the budget process, the legislative process, John A. Wilson building access and use, public access to information, open meetings, and Council structure. Some examples include:
- Require five days’ public notice for Council committee mark-ups or roundtables. Too often, mark-ups and roundtables are held with very little public notice, which limits public participation. Requiring five days’ notice would give the public time to weigh in on critical issues at roundtables and on potential changes to legislation in a mark-up.
- Require that the final Council budget proposal be available to the public at least two working days prior to the vote. The annual budget is one of the most important pieces of legislation the Council must complete. Yet, the budget often is not released until very close to the vote ‘ sometimes just a matter of hours. This gives Council members, Council staff, and the public very little time to analyze and comment on the substantial budget changes that often show up in the final proposal. The Council’s budget office has made significant improvements over the past couple of years in getting the budget out the day before the budget vote, but releasing the final proposal at least two working days before the scheduled vote would give the public and Council a better chance to weigh in.
- Improve transparency and use of amendments. While amendments can make significant changes to legislation, they are not included in the legislative record on the DC Council website (LIMS) and often are not available to the public. We recommend that all proposed amendments be read aloud at Council committee mark-ups and legislative meetings so that the public can understand the proposed change. We also recommend that all proposed amendments, and the resulting vote and outcome, be included as part of the LIMS record.
The full memo with all of the recommendations and organizations that signed on can be found here. We look forward to the Council’s January 2nd organizational meeting when they will vote on the DC Council Rules, and we hope that the Council is able take steps to improve the transparency of its operations and the accessibility of its information.
