Developmental

Developmental Disabilities Reform Act

Bill 18-
18-501

The District’s law on services for people with developmental

disabilities is 30 years old. While it was at the forefront of its
time, today the law no longer reflects:

The rights, abilities and needs of people with

developmental disabilities and their families;

Best practices; and

New federal and local disability rights and services
laws.

To modernize the law, in 2007 people with developmental

disabilities, their families and supporters came together to
help create new legislation.

As a result of this work, on October 20, 2009 the DC

Council introduced Bill 18-501, the Developmental
Disabilities Reform Act of 2009. DC Council Chair Vincent
C. Gray and Councilmember Tommy Wells co-introduced
the bill. Councilmembers Muriel Bowser; Phil Mendelson;
Harry Thomas, Jr; Mary M. Cheh; David Catania; Jack
Evans; Jim Graham; Michael Brown; and Kwame Brown co-
sponsored the bill.
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 GET INVOLVED!

Get information & updates:

Visit the blog: http://dc-ddleg.blogspot.com -- for copies

of the bill & lots more!

Join the mailing list: To get information updates and

announcements by email, mail or fax. To
sign up contact tjsutcliffe@arcdc.net or
(202) 636-2963.

Share your ideas! Post your ideas to the DDRA blog or

send your ideas to the DDS MAC Legislative Committee
c/o tjsutcliffe@arcdc.net or (202) 636-2963.

Invite a speaker! If your group would like a speaker to talk

about the DDRA, let us know. The DDS MAC Legislative
Committee will make every effort to honor requests for
speakers and to help your group get involved.

For the bill and related documents, visit http://dc-

ddleg.blogspot.com. For more information contact the DDS
MAC Legislative Committee c/o tjsutcliffe@arcdc.net or
(202) 636-2963.

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