The Malachi Jackson Way Designation Act of 2025 symbolically renames a segment of Gales Street NE (between 15th and 21st Streets NE in Ward 7) as "Malachi Jackson Way" to honor Malachi Jackson, a 15-year-old killed by gun violence in 2022. The bill does not impose new regulations, costs, or direct impacts; it is a commemorative street designation supported by the Rosedale community and ANC 7D. This change aims to memorialize Jackson's life and raise awareness about gun violence, with no fiscal or operational effects.
This bill symbolically renames a specific alley in Ward 5’s Stronghold neighborhood as "Stronghold Way." It directly affects residents and visitors in that area, bounded by North Capitol Street between Michigan Avenue and Bryant Street, adjacent to Glenwood and Prospect Hill Cemeteries. The designation honors the neighborhood’s history as a blue-collar community founded by laborers and public servants in the 1950s-1960s, recognizing its values of solidarity and civic pride. As a ceremonial act, it requires no new funding or policy changes and follows standard D.C. street-naming procedures.
This is a procedural confirmation resolution, not a substantive bill. It requests the Council confirm Mayor Bowser's reappointment of Shawn Townsend to the Combat Sports Commission for a term ending January 5, 2029. Townsend, who is currently serving on the Commission, has been a member since 2022 and has extensive experience in DC government and the hospitality industry. The resolution solely formalizes his continued appointment to this regulatory body, which oversees combat sports licensing and safety standards in the District.
This bill exempts a specific property - Lot 123, Square 2836 at 3421 14th Street, N.W. - owned by Avanti Real Estate Services, Inc., from real estate taxes for 10 years (October 1, 2024-September 30, 2034). The exemption applies only if the property is used by Avanti for real estate brokerage services focused on creating generational wealth, employing District residents, and providing industry training. All past taxes, penalties, and fees assessed on this property as of the bill’s effective date are forgiven. The exemption requires annual certification by the Mayor to confirm the property continues to meet these usage conditions.
This bill clarifies and updates a property tax abatement for the Prince Hall Free and Accepted Mason and Order of the Eastern Star Charitable Educational Foundation at 1000 U Street NW. It corrects the foundation's official name, updates the tax lot description from "lot 0826" to "Square 333 Lots 37 and 828," and mandates refunds for 2023-2024 property tax payments related to this address. Additionally, it authorizes a grant to the foundation (or its commercial tenant at 1000 U Street NW) to support implementation of the Shaw/U Street Cultural Destination District Plan. The bill directly affects the foundation’s tax obligations and enables funding for cultural district development at this specific location.
This bill amends DC law to regulate "games of skill" machines (e.g., skill-based arcade games) operated by licensed businesses. It requires operators with specific licenses (like Class A/B manufacturers or certain retailers) to obtain an endorsement from the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) before offering these machines. The bill also restricts outdoor placement of such machines unless they meet three conditions: not visible from streets/sidewalks, secured against unauthorized access, and accessible only to patrons inside the establishment. Additionally, it mandates a centralized accounting system linking all machines to a network for District monitoring, reporting, and remote activation/deactivation. These changes primarily affect businesses holding retail or manufacturer licenses that operate skill-based gaming machines.
This bill authorizes Business Improvement District (BID) corporations to enter a 20-year master license agreement with third-party providers for interactive wayfinding kiosks in commercial districts. The kiosks must provide free public services like maps, safety alerts, and local business promotions while displaying digital ads, with BIDs receiving a revenue share from these ads. Specifically, 5% of any increased revenue from ad sales must fund community programs like small business support, substance abuse services, or homelessness resources. The bill also requires BID boards to include at least one community member or resident, and mandates that kiosks be maintained by the provider at no public cost.
The Fair Swipe Act of 2025 prohibits credit and debit card networks from charging interchange fees (swipe fees) on the sales tax and gratuity portions of restaurant and retail transactions in Washington, D.C. It directly affects local businesses, such as restaurants and retailers, which currently pay these fees on tax and tip amounts they do not retain. The bill requires merchants to submit documentation to receive credits for fees already paid, either at checkout or retroactively, and imposes a $1,000 civil penalty per violation for non-compliance. This policy change aims to help businesses retain more revenue by eliminating fees on tax and tip portions of card payments.
This bill exempts certain heritage tree protections for the Parkside mixed-use development project (Lots 865-869 in Square 5056) that had prior zoning approval before July 1, 2016. It provides tax abatements of up to $300,000 annually for 30 years on these lots, contingent on issuing a final building certificate by September 30, 2029. The bill also includes refunds for related development fees paid by the project owner. It directly affects the Parkside development project owners through these tax and tree regulation changes.
This bill creates a 20-year real property tax exemption for specific parcels (Lots 809, 810, 814, 815 in Square 3128) owned by McMillan Parcel 2 Owner, LLC and McMillan Parcel 4 Owner, LLC. It requires the property owner to operate 449 housing units, with one-third designated as affordable for households earning 80% of the Area Median Income, and to contract with certified business enterprises for at least 35% of construction spending. The exemption begins October 1, 2029, but is reduced proportionally if the owner fails to meet these housing or contracting requirements. The tax break applies in addition to other existing tax relief for the property.
This bill establishes the Paul E. Sluby, Sr. Preservation Fund to support historic African American burial grounds in the District of Columbia. It allocates grants for preserving, restoring, identifying, interpreting, and repatriating remains at sites established before 1955, administered by the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. The fund directly benefits the four remaining intact sites - Mount Zion, Female Union Band Society, Union Burial Society of Georgetown, and Woodlawn Cemeteries - which face disrepair despite community efforts. Grants will cover specific activities like research, monument restoration, and relocation of remains, addressing historical neglect of these sacred spaces. The legislation honors Paul E. Sluby, Sr., a key preservationist, and responds to documented challenges in maintaining these sites due to segregation and lack of resources.
This bill exempts nonprofit organizations in Washington, D.C. from real property taxes on buildings and grounds used for solar energy generation, energy storage, and energy management activities - provided they meet Energy Star guidelines. It directly affects tax-exempt nonprofits that operate qualifying solar infrastructure, removing their tax burden for these specific uses. The bill expands existing tax exemptions under Section 1002 by explicitly including solar energy systems, storage, and management, while also covering electric vehicle charging infrastructure. It does not alter general tax rules but targets a specific category of nonprofit property use.
