MPD would coordinate responses to domestic and intimate partner violence

The bill would establish a Domestic Violence Response Unit within MPD. The unit would coordinate responses to domestic and intimate partner violence and, when appropriate, other sexual or gender-based violence not assigned to MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit. The act would take effect after mayoral approval, or a Council veto override, and a 60-day congressional review period.

The bill would add a definition of economic or financial abuse to the law governing the Domestic Violence Hotline. It applies to domestic violence, dating violence, and abuse in later life. Examples include controlling access to money, misusing someone’s personal information, interfering with work or school, and withholding necessities. The definition covers force, fraud, or manipulation used to interfere with or unreasonably control resources a person is entitled to. The definition would take effect after mayoral approval, or a Council veto override, and a 60-day congressional review period.

The bill would define firearm relinquishment and protect respondents who peaceably surrender firearms or ammunition under a court order from arrest and prosecution for specified gun offenses involving the items surrendered. These rules concern a respondent and firearms or ammunition surrendered under an order issued under the civil protection order subchapter. For the separate definition of “relinquish,” a person must surrender all firearms and ammunition in their possession or control to law enforcement or a licensed dealer. The prosecution protection applies to peaceable surrender under an order issued under this subchapter. It covers only specified offenses involving the items surrendered, and does not count as a voluntary surrender under another cited law. The rules would take effect after mayoral approval, or a Council veto override, and a 60-day congressional review period.

The bill would allow judges to consider listed risk factors when deciding pretrial release conditions or detention. This applies when a person is charged with an intrafamily offense or violating a civil protection or anti-stalking order. Factors include past violence, access to weapons, substance use, the alleged harm, and controlling behavior. Judges may consider the factors when information is available. They would use it to decide whether release conditions can ensure the person appears in court and protect others and the community. The factors would apply when the accused person appears in court for a pretrial release or detention decision.

The bill would let District agencies assert a public-records exemption for certain body-worn camera footage. The provision concerns body-worn camera footage related to the listed incidents, rather than other records about those incidents. The exemption could be asserted for footage related to an incident involving domestic violence, an intrafamily offense, human trafficking, stalking, or sexual assault; the text does not require agencies to withhold it. The provision would take effect after mayoral approval, or a Council veto override, and a 60-day congressional review period.