(a) There is established the Office on Ex-Offender Affairs. The Office shall coordinate and monitor service delivery to ex-offenders. The Office shall make recommendations to the Mayor to promote the general welfare, empowerment, and reintegration of ex-offenders in the areas of employment and career development, health care, education, housing, and social services.
(b)(1) The Office shall be headed by an Executive Director, who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council pursuant to § 1-523.01(a). The Director shall be a full-time employee, for whom annual compensation shall be fixed in accordance with subchapter X-A of Chapter 6 of Title 1.
(2) The Director shall:
(A) Serve as principal advisor to the Mayor on matters related to the reintegration of ex-offenders into the general population;
(B) Serve as an advocate for the ex-offenders;
(C) Respond to recommendations and policy statements from the Commission;
(D) Identify areas for service improvement and policy development and implementation for presentation to the Mayor and the Commission by funding research, hosting symposia, and undertaking other projects;
(E) Coordinate efforts of District government agencies targeted toward ex-offenders;
(F) Accept volunteer services and funding from public and private sources to supplement the budget in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Office;
(G) Apply for, receive, and expend any gift or grant to further the purposes of the Office;
(H) File an annual report on the operations of the Office with the Mayor and the Council; and
(I) Meet and coordinate with members of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, as set forth in § 22-4233(a), and their designates, to disseminate information and recommendations to and from the voting members of the Commission.
(3) The Office shall have staff as funded by appropriations and federal or private grants.
CREDIT(S)
(Mar. 8, 2007, D.C. Law 16-243, § 3, 54 DCR 605; Jan. 19, 2012, D.C. Law 19-80, § 2(a), 58 DCR 8908.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 19-80, in subsec. (b)(2), deleted “and” from the end of subpar. (G ), substituted “; and” for a period the end of par. (H), and added par. (I).
Legislative History of Laws
For Law 16-243, see notes following § 24-1301.
Law 19-80, the “Returning Citizens and Ex-Offender Services Reform Amendment Act of 2011”, was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 19-1, which was referred to the Committee on Housing and Workforce Development. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on July 12, 2011, and September 20, 2011, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on October 11, 2011, it was assigned Act No. 19-170 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 19-80 became effective on January 19, 2012.