D.C. Law 23-87. Office on Caribbean Affairs Establishment Act of 2020.

AN ACT

To establish an Office on Caribbean Affairs to monitor the delivery of District services, and to make policy recommendations to the Mayor and Council regarding housing, health, education, employment, social services, public safety, and business opportunities for the District's Caribbean community.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Office on Caribbean Affairs Establishment Act of 2020".

Sec. 2. Establishment of the Office on Caribbean Affairs.

(a) There is established an Office on Caribbean Affairs ("OCA"), which shall monitor the delivery of District services and make policy recommendations to the Mayor and Council regarding housing, health, education, employment, social services, public safety, and business opportunities for the District's Caribbean community.

(b) OCA shall be headed by an Executive Director, who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council pursuant to section 2(a) of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01(a)). The Executive Director shall be a full-time position, for which annual compensation shall be fixed in accordance with Title X-A of the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978, effective June 10, 1998 (D.C. Law 12-124; D.C. Official Code § 1-610.51 et seq.). The Executive Director shall have such staff as is appropriated in an approved budget and financial plan or provided through federal or private grants.

Sec. 3. Duties of the Executive Director.

(a) The Executive Director shall:

(1) Serve as an advocate for the needs of the District's Caribbean community, as those needs relate to housing, health, education, employment, social services, public safety, and expanding business opportunities;

(2) Assist community organizations in developing and submitting grant applications;

(3) Provide information and technical assistance on programs and services for the Caribbean community to the Mayor, the Council, Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, other District government agencies, and the community;

(4) Respond to recommendations and policy statements from the Mayor's Advisory Commission on Caribbean Community Affairs ("MACCCA"), established by Mayor's Order 2012-127;

(5) File with the Mayor and Council, no later than December 31 annually, an annual report on the operations of the Office of Caribbean Affairs ("OCA") based on the previous fiscal year;

(6) Identify areas for service improvement and make recommendations to the Mayor and MACCCA for improving services; and

(7) Ensure the necessary control, evaluation, audit, and reporting on programs funded through OCA.

(b) The Executive Director may:

(1) Accept volunteer services and funds from the public and private sectors to supplement the budget of OCA in carrying out its duties and responsibilities;

(2) Apply for, receive, and expend gifts or grants of money to carry out the duties and responsibilities of OCA; and

(3) Issue grants, in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Grant Administration Act of 2013, effective December 24, 2013 (D.C. Law 20-61; D.C. Official Code § 1-328.11 et seq.), to organizations that provide housing, education, health, workforce development, employment, criminal justice reform, and economic opportunity-related services to the District's Caribbean community.

Sec. 4. Applicability

(a) This act shall apply upon the date of inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.

(b) The Chief Financial Officer shall certify the date of the inclusion of the fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, and provide notice to the Budget Director of the Council of the certification.

(c)(1) The Budget Director shall cause the notice of the certification to be published in the District of Columbia Register.

(2) The date of publication of the notice of the certification shall not affect the applicability of this act.

Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement.

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.

The act shall take effect following 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.