News

Graham's Graffiti, Child Health Bills Passed and Sent to Mayor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Alan Heymann
(202) 724-8031

October 3, 2006

Washington, DC – Two bills authored by Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward One) passed the Council today.

Under the first bill, the District government could more quickly remove gang graffiti from nuisance properties.

The bill would allow the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs to immediately remove graffiti that poses a threat to the life, health or safety of residents. Gang graffiti, or tagging, is used to mark turf and signal gang members or members of rival gangs.

“Not all graffiti is created equal,” said Councilmember Graham. “We’re not talking about murals here. We’re talking about tagging, which defaces property and disempowers people in their own communities. This turf marking in our neighborhoods is a dangerous situation.”

B16-395 would also allow DCRA to order the removal of non-life-or-safety-threatening graffiti after proper notice to the owner of a nuisance property. The bill passed unanimously on final reading, and can be found online here.

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A second Graham bill passed today would expand health insurance coverage for children with autism, cerebral palsy or other congenital birth defects.

B16-711 would require insurers to cover occupational, physical and speech therapy for these children in family health insurance policies. The lack of this coverage can cost parents tens of thousands of dollars in unreimbursed medical expenses.

“The average premium went up 11 cents in Maryland when they added this coverage,” said Councilmember Graham. “You can’t even buy a gumball for 11 cents anymore. But that’s all it costs to give these kids a fighting chance of a good quality of life.”

The bill was co-sponsored by Chairman Linda Cropp and Councilmembers Carol Schwartz, Phil Mendelson, Vincent Gray and Marion Barry. View it online here.

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