FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Councilmember Pinto Co-Introduces Legislation to Support Local Businesses and to Provide Free Feminine Hygiene Products in Schools, and Votes to Extend Mayoral Authority Under the Public Health Emergency in the Council’s First Post-Recess Legislative Meeting
Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, the Council of the District of Columbia held its first post-recess legislative meeting. Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto co-introduced legislation to protect the integrity of the District’s local business enterprise program and to provide free feminine hygiene products in District public and public charter schools. Councilmember Pinto also voted in favor of a number of emergency measures that would enhance the partnership between Business Improvement Districts and the District government in the maintenance of outdoor public spaces for the use of restaurants and retailers, protect tenants during the current eviction moratorium, bolster the District’s rent stabilization program, expand the use of Arts and Humanities capital project grants, and extend the Mayor’s authority through December 31, 2020, under the public health emergency.
The first bill, co-introduced by Councilmember Pinto and Ward 5 Councilmember and Chairman of the Committee on Business and Economic Development Kenyan McDuffie, is entitled the “Local Business Enterprise Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2020.” This measure was introduced to close a loophole in the law and ensure that a business certified as a “Certified Business Enterprise” or CBE, be independently owned, operated, and controlled, and to require the recertification of existing CBEs that do not meet those requirements.
“Having worked to support the integrity of the CBE program during my time at the Attorney General’s office and in speaking daily to many of our small business owners who need all the support they can get during this crisis,” said Councilmember Pinto, "I’m pleased to join Councilmember McDuffie in co-introducing this important legislation that helps to ensure that District owned enterprises are properly prioritized to receive District resources.”
Councilmember Pinto also joined Councilmember David Grosso in co-introducing the “Expanding Student Access to Period Products Act of 2020.” Once law, this bill will require that District schools install and maintain dispensers for feminine hygiene products that are free for use in women’s and gender-neutral bathrooms.
Several emergency measures also came before the Council. Among those supported by Councilmember Pinto are:
The Council of the District of Columbia will hold its next legislative meeting on Tuesday, October 6, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. A number of public oversight hearings will also take place in the next two weeks, including three hosted by the Committees on Business and Economic Development, Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization, and Transportation and the Environment. For more information?on these Committees, the upcoming meetings, and pending legislation, visit www.dccouncil.us.
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