Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

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     Councilmember Anita Bonds                                          Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau

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     Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr.                                      Councilmember Charles Allen

                                                    A BILL

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                          IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

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   To amend the Illegal Firearm Sale and Distribution Strict Liability Act of 1992 to set a minimum

         payment of $50,000 for any person who provides information that leads to the

         adjudication or conviction of the person or persons responsible for committing any

         homicide in the District of Columbia, and to direct the Mayor to advertise information

         regarding witness assistance resources that may be available to those who provide

         information; to amend the Homeland Security, Risk Reduction, and Preparedness

         Amendment Act of 2006 to require that the Comprehensive Homicide elimination

         Strategy Task Force submit to the Council a report on the District’s programs and

         policies for witness protection, relocation, and assistance, and recommendations for

         improvement; and to establish a Witness Protection and Assistance Program to support

         the investigation and prosecution of criminal cases through assistance in the security and

         wellbeing of those who aid in investigations or criminal proceedings.

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          BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this

   act may be cited as the “Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment Act of 2025”.

          Sec. 2. The Illegal Firearm Sale and Distribution Strict Liability Act of 1992, effective

   June 11, 1992 (D.C. Law 9-115; D.C. Official Code § 7–2531.04) is amended by adding new

   subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to read as follows:

                  “(c-1) The Chief of Police of the Metropolitan Police Department is directed to

   provide for the payment of no less than $50,000.00 to any person who provides information that

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 leads to the adjudication or conviction of the person or persons responsible for committing any

 homicide in the District of Columbia.

                “(c-2) In advertising the Firearms Bounty Fund, the Mayor shall include

 information regarding witness assistance resources that may be available to those who provide

 information, as established in Section 4 of the Case Closure and Witness Support Amendment

 Act of 2023, effective ______.”.

        A new paragraph (h) is added to read as follows:

                “(h) No reward money paid pursuant to this section shall be paid to any officer or

 employee of the Metropolitan Police Department, or of any penal, correctional, or welfare

 institutions, or of any court, legal agency, or other agency closely involved in the criminal justice

 system.”.

        Sec. 3. Comprehensive Homicide Elimination Strategy Task Force to issue report on

 witness protection, relocation, and assistance.

        (a) Section 501 of the Homeland Security, Risk Reduction, and Preparedness

 Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 14, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-262; D.C. Official Code § 22-

 4251), is amended by adding a new subsection (e) to read as follows:

        “(e) No later than December 1, 2025, the Task Force shall submit to the Council a report

 on the District’s programs and policies for witness protection, relocation, and assistance, and

 recommendations for improvement.

                (1) The study shall include:

                        (A) An outline of the current witness protection procedures in the District

 and regionally, including:

                                (i) The process of assessing the need of potential witnesses to

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 criminal proceedings for assistance;

                                (ii) The District’s approach to ensuring witness safety during

 criminal investigations as well as before, during, or subsequent to, legal proceedings;

                                (iii) The spectrum of housing, financial, and health supports

 available to those deemed eligible for witness assistance;

                                (iv) Information on whether those receiving witness assistance are

 assigned a direct caseworker to navigate supportive services, and the average caseload for such

 workers; and,

                                (v) A review of how the District’s public safety agencies

 coordinate with regional and federal partners on witness relocation and assistance.

                        (B) Recommended performance metrics for witness assistance and an

 assessment of past performance;

                        (C) A review of national best practices for state and local-level witness

 protection, relocation, and assistance;

                        (D) A review of human support services offered to District residents that

 would enhance witness assistance outcomes if program eligibility were expanded;

                        (E) An assessment of the overall fiscal impact of witness assistance, for at

 least the prior four fiscal years, recommended funding levels;

                        (F) An analysis of criminal cases that were helped or hindered by the

 current administration of witness assistance; and,

                        (G) Recommendations on policy and appropriations changes that would

 maximize the effective use of witness protection, relocation, and assistance for the investigation

 and prosecution criminal cases.

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                (2) Notwithstanding the requirements of this subsection, the Task Force may

 restrict or prohibit disclosure of certain information, pursuant to Section 2c of the Council of the

 District of Columbia Independence Act of 1982, effective March 11, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-119;

 D.C. Official Code § 1-301.44c), that may compromise the safety of any person currently or

 formerly served by witness relocation and assistance programs.

        Section 4. Witness Protection and Assistance.

        (a) There is established a Witness Protection and Assistance Program (“Program”), to

 increase efforts to successfully investigate and prosecute criminal cases through assistance in the

 security and wellbeing of those who aid in investigations or criminal proceedings.

        (b) The Mayor shall administer the Program in coordination with the United States

 Attorney’s Office and other regional jurisdictions.

        (c) In any criminal proceeding, or in the process of a criminal investigation by MPD or

 other law enforcement agencies, where credible evidence exists of a substantial danger that a

 person may suffer intimidation, retaliatory violence, or another serious threat to personal

 wellbeing due to their cooperation with an investigation or their testimony in a criminal trial, the

 Mayor shall provide witness protection, relocation, and assistance, which may include any of the

 following:

                (1) Protection or escort by law enforcement or security personnel before, during,

                or subsequent to, legal proceedings;

                (2) Temporary or permanent physical relocation to an alternate residence;

                (3) Housing expenses, including utilities;

                (4) Transportation or storage of personal possessions;

                (5) Appropriate documents to establish a new identity;

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                (6) Basic living expenses, including, food, transportation, and health care;

                (7) Mental health supports;

                (8) Reimbursement of lost wages;

                (9) Childcare; and,

                (10) Other services as needed.

        (d) Family, friends, or associates of a witness who are deemed to be endangered shall

        also be eligible for the Program.

 (e) The Mayor, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act,

        approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), shall

        issue rules to implement the provisions of this section.

        Sec. 5. Fiscal Impact.

        The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal

 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,

 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

        Sec. 6. Effective date.

        This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the

 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as

 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December

 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of

 Columbia Register.

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