COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY AND PUBLIC SAFETY
DRAFT COMMITTEE REPORT
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004
TO:
All Councilmembers
FROM:
Councilmember Tommy Wells, Chairperson
Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
DATE:
July 7, 2014
SUBJECT:
Report on PR 20-491, “Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Dianne M.
Hampton Confirmation Resolution of 2014”1
The Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, to which Proposed Resolution 20491, the “Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Dianne M. Hampton Confirmation
Resolution of 2014” was referred, reports favorably thereon, and recommends approval by the
Council.
CONTENTS
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
Background and Need ................................................................1
Legislative Chronology..............................................................4
Position of the Executive ...........................................................4
Comments of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions ...............4
Summary of Testimony and Statements ....................................4
Impact on Existing Law .............................................................5
Fiscal Impact ..............................................................................5
Section-by-Section Analysis ......................................................5
Committee Action ......................................................................5
Attachments ...............................................................................5
I.
BACKGROUND AND NEED
The purpose of PR 20-491 is to confirm the Mayor's nomination of Dianne M. Hampton
to the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, for a term to end July 20, 2016.
The purpose of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board (“Board”) is to prevent
domestic violence fatalities by improving the response of individuals, the community, and
government agencies to domestic violence. The Board is charged with the review and evaluation
of domestic violence fatalities in the District. In evaluating domestic violence fatalities, the
Board is expected to observe data, trends, and patterns. In doing so, it is expected to better
understand the scope and nature of domestic violence in the District. The Board makes policy
1
The resolution has been renamed to reflect the current year.
Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
DRAFT Report on PR 20-491
Page 2 of 6
and programmatic recommendations for combating domestic violence and publishes an annual
report of its findings.
The Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board was established by D. C. Law 14-296,
effective April 11, 2003. The Board is comprised of 23 members:
o 9 designated by statute from specific District government agencies
o 2 designated by statute from federal agencies
o 4 appointed by the Mayor from organizational groups (hospitals, shelters, legal
clinics, and domestic violence advocacy groups)
o 8 appointed by the Mayor as community representatives, and confirmed by the
Council
All members serve at will except for the eight community representatives, who serve
three-year terms.
Table A: Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee Membership
DC Institutional Representatives2
2
Agency
Agency
Representative
Appointment
Authority
Appointment Date
Metropolitan Police
Department
Lt. Michelle
Robinson
16-1053(a)(1)
N/A
Office of the Chief Medical
Examiner
Dr. Robert Mitchell
16-1053(a)(2)
N/A
Office of the Attorney
General
Janese M. Bechtol,
Esq. (Chair)
16-1053(a)(3)
Mayor’s Order 2005-72 April 27,
2005
Department of Corrections
Maria Amato
16-1053(a)(4)
N/A
Fire & Emergency Medical
Services
Rafael Sa’adah
16-1053(a)(5)
N/A
Addiction Prevention and
Recovery Administration
Vacant
16-1053(a)(6)
Department of Health
Vacant
16-1053(a)(7)
Child and Family Services
Agency
Sylvia Pauling
16-1053(a)(8)
Mayor’s Commission on
Violence Against Women
Vacant
16-1053(a)(9)
Mayor’s Order 2005-72 April 27,
2005
Information provided March 21, 2014 by the Executive Office of the Mayor. The information provided by the
Executive also included a representative from the Department of Human Services, which is not named in the statute.
While having a representative from this agency may be appropriate, it is unclear under what legal authority this
appointment was made.
Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
DRAFT Report on PR 20-491
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Table B: Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee Membership
Federal, Judicial, Private, or Public Entity Representatives3
Agency
Agency Representative
Appointment
Authority
Appointment Date
Superior Court of the District
of Columbia
Blanche Watson
16-1053(b)(1)
N/A
United States Attorney’s
Office for the District of
Columbia
Marcia Rinker
16-1053(b)(2)
N/A
District of Columbia hospitals
Vacant
16-1053(b)(3)
University legal clinics
Lisa Martin
16-1053(b)(4)
Domestic violence shelters
Vacant
16-1053(b)(5)
Domestic violence advocacy
organizations
Jennifer Wesberry, DC SAFE
16-1053(b)(6)
Mayor’s Order 200952, April 14, 2009; to
end July 20, 2010
N/A
Table C: Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Membership
Community Representatives4
Representative
Ward
Resolution
Number
First Term
Appointment
Date
Term End Date
3
PR20-525
2004-151 Sept 13,
2004 to end July 20,
2007
July 20, 2016
2004-151 Sept 13,
2004 to end July 20,
2007
July 20, 2016
2004-151 Sept 13,
2004 to end July 20,
2007
July 20, 2016
Sharlene Kranz
PR20-490
Prof. Laurie Susan Kohn, Esq.
4
7
PR20-491
Dianne M. Hampton
Varina Jane Winder
2
PR20-488
October 7, 2013
July 20, 2016
Erin Sweeney Larkin, Esq.
MD
PR20-487
October 7, 2013
July 20, 2016
Jonathan Yinghwa O’Reilly
5
October 7, 2013
July 20, 2016
Elizabeth Odongo
MD
PR20-486
PR20-853
(pending)
TBD
July 20, 2016
Vacant
The Committee recommends the confirmation of Dianne M. Hampton to the Domestic
Violence Fatality Review Board. Ms. Hampton has previously served as a community
3
4
Information provided March 21, 2014 by the Executive Office of the Mayor.
Id.
Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
DRAFT Report on PR 20-491
Page 4 of 6
representative on the board and has extensive experience working with domestic violence
victims in a variety of capacities. As a certified Domestic Violence Counselor and former Director
of the Family and Community Violence Prevention Project, Ms. Hampton understands the
experience of victims and has knowledge of the network of area service providers that will
enable her to continue to contribute to the workings of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review
Board.
II.
LEGISLATIVE CHRONOLOGY
October 1, 2013
PR 20-491, “Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board Dianne M.
Hampton Confirmation Resolution of 2013,” is introduced by Chairman
Phil Mendelson at the request of the Mayor.
October 15, 2013
PR 20-491 is referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and Public
Safety.
October 11, 2013
Notice of Intent to act on PR 20-491 is published in the District of
Columbia Register.
June 26, 2014
The Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety held a public hearing
on PR 20-491.
July 7, 2014
The Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety considers and votes on
PR 20-491.
III.
POSITION OF THE EXECUTIVE
PR 20-491 was introduced at the request of the Mayor, whose comments relating to Ms.
Hampton’s nomination are contained in the attached transmittal letter.
IV.
COMMENTS OF ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONS
The Committee received no comments from Advisory Neighborhood Commissions.
V.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENTS
Dianne M. Hampton, MS, CDVC, Nominee submitted a statement on her own behalf,
stating that she sought appointment to the Board because she has been a continuous partner of
the Board over the course of four administrations. While working with the Board, Ms. Hampton
also participated in trainings conducted by the National Domestic Violence Fatality Review
Board Program (NDVFRB) and has shared best practices with the Board and improved practices
to ensure a successful and structured investigative process.
The Committee received no testimony or comments in opposition of confirmation.
Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
DRAFT Report on PR 20-491
VI.
Page 5 of 6
IMPACT ON EXISTING LAW
The adoption of PR 20-491 would have no impact on existing law. PR 20-491 fulfills the
Council’s statutory responsibility to confirm 8 community representative members of the
Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board.
VII.
FISCAL IMPACT
Pursuant to section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act, this confirmation
resolution is exempt from the act’s fiscal impact statement requirement.5
VIII.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS
Section 1
States the short title of PR 20-491.
Section 2
Confirms the appointment of Dianne M. Hampton, MS, CVDC as a
community representative member of the Domestic Violence Fatality
Review Board.
Section 3
Directs transmittal of the resolution to the nominee and to the Office of the
Mayor.
Section 4
States the resolution shall take effect immediately.
IX.
COMMITTEE ACTION
On DATE, the Committee met to consider PR 20-491. The meeting was called to order at
and PR 20-491 was on the agenda. After ascertaining a quorum (Chairperson Wells and
Councilmembers _______ present), Chairperson Wells moved the print with leave for the staff
and general counsel to make technical and conforming amendments. After an opportunity for
discussion, the vote on the print was ___________. Chairperson Wells then moved the report,
with leave for staff to make technical, editorial, and conforming changes. After an opportunity
for discussion, the vote to approve the report was ___________. The meeting adjourned at .
.
X.
5
ATTACHMENTS
1.
PR 20-491 as introduced.
2.
Nominee’s response to Committee questions.
General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, effective September 25, 1975 (D.C. Law 1-17; D.C. Code § 1301.47a).
Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
DRAFT Report on PR 20-491
3.
Witness list.
4.
Legal sufficiency determination by the General Counsel.
5.
Committee Print for PR 20-491.
Page 6 of 6