Councilmember Vincent Gray introduced the following bill
which was referred to the Committee on _____.
To amend the District of Columbia Government
Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 to create a Biennial Mayor
and Council Compensation Advisory Commission to study the compensation and benefits for elected officials by reviewing the best
practices regionally and nationally of comparable jurisdictions, and
to make findings and recommendations to the Mayor and Council.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
That this act may be cited as the "Biennial Mayor and Council
Compensation Advisory Commission Establishment Amendment Act of
2006".
Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Government Comprehensive
Merit Personnel Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-139;
D.C. Official Code § 1-601.01 et seq.), is amended as follows:
"Sec. 1151. Establishment of the Mayor and
Council Compensation Advisory
"(a) The Biennial Mayor and Council
Compensation Advisory Commission ("Commission") is established.
"(b) Between the 2nd and 26th day of January
2007, and during the same period every second year thereafter, the Mayor and Council shall
appoint the members of the Commission.
"Sec. 1152. Composition and term.
"(a) The Commission shall consist of 5 voting
members and one nonvoting member, as follows:
"(1) One member appointed by the Chairman of
the Council;
"(2) Two members appointed by the Mayor;
"(3) Two members appointed by the Council; and
"(4) The Director of the D.C. Office of
Personnel, or his or her designee, as an ex officio nonvoting member.
"(b) The Chairperson of the Commission shall
be selected by the voting members.
"(c) The voting members of the commission
shall be private citizens generally recognized for their knowledge and experience in
management and compensation matters who are District residents.
"(d) Each Member of the Commission shall serve
a 2-year term. The initial term shall expire on December 31, 2008. A member is eligible
for reappointment.
"(e) The Commission shall establish rules and
procedures as the Commission shall determine.
"(f) Any vacancy on the Commission shall be filled
in the same manner as the original appointment. A person appointed to
fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term of the
original appointee.
"(g) All members of the Commission shall serve
without compensation, but may be reimbursed for reasonable actual
expenses incurred in the performance of official duties, pursuant to
rules issued by the Mayor in accordance with section 1108.
"Sec. 1153. Duties.
"The Commission shall perform the following duties:
"(1) Conduct an annual review examining the best
practices in compensation and benefits for mayors and members of the
Council and other elected officials in the surrounding Washington
Metropolitan Area, as well as in comparable jurisdictions in the
country;
"(2) Study the feasibility of allowing
councilmembers to elect to work part-time or full-time and to
authorize additional compensation for councilmembers who agree not to engage in outside employment; and
"(3) No later than September 15, 2008, and on
September 15th for the succeeding biennium, the Commission, based on
the study conducted pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this
section, shall submit its report to the Council and the Mayor containing
its recommendation for changes in compensation levels for the Mayor
or Members of the Council or its recommendation that no changes be
made. In making its recommendation, the Commission shall consider:
"(A) The duties and level of responsibilities of
each position;
"(B) The current salary of the position and the
length of time since the last change;
"(C) Any change in the cost of living
since the last change;
"(D) The salary trends for positions with
analogous duties and responsibilities both within government and in the
private sector;
"(E) Budget limitations;
"(F) The information required by section
1109(b)(2)(A) and (B); and
"(G) Any other factors the Commission may consider
to be reasonable, appropriate, and in the public interest.
"Sec.
1154. Meetings and hearings.
"(a) The Commission shall meet as
frequently as the proper and efficient discharge of its duties may require. A majority of the voting members
shall constitute a quorum. The Commission may act by an affirmative vote of a majority
of its voting members.
"(b) Other than executive sessions to consider
privileged matters, the meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public.
"(c) An executive meeting may be convened by a vote
of a majority of the voting members of the Commission, upon good cause shown.
"(d) The Commission shall hold at least two public
hearings to take public testimony on its proposed compensation changes, including information
from compensation experts from the public and private sectors.
"(e) The Commission
shall maintain records of proceedings as minutes of the meetings.
"Sec. 1155. Powers.
"(a) All offices, agencies, and
instrumentalities of the District government shall fully cooperate with the Commission and provide requested
information and documents.
"(b) Subject to the availability of
appropriations, the Commission may hire or contract for necessary staff and technical assistance or may
require any office, agency or instrumentality of the District government to provide such
assistance.".
"(c) Section 1109(a)(2) (D.C. Official Code §
1-611.09(a)(2)) is amended as follows:
"(1) Subsection (b)(2) is amended by adding a new
subparagraph (D) to read as follows:
"(D) The recommendations of the Biennial Mayor
and Council Compensation Advisory Commission established by Title
XI-A.".
"(2) A new subsection (d) is amended to read as
follows:
"(d) In determining the proper salary level
for the Mayor, the Council shall consider the recommendations of the Biennial Mayor and Council
Compensation Advisory Commission established by Title XI-A.".
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in
the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of
the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C.
Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(3)).
Sec. 4. Effective date.
This 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.
