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DC passes third coronavirus relief bill, expanding rent increase ban

Nursing homes in D.C. will be required to report staffing shortages, and food delivery services will have their compensation capped under the third COVID-19 emergency relief bill the D.C. Council passed Tuesday.

Under the new legislation, long-term care facilities are required to provide daily status reports to the District health department. Such facilities have been at the center of coronavirus outbreaks in the D.C. region and across the U.S.

The council also caps third-party food delivery service compensation at 15%, a measure aimed at preventing companies such as Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub from exploiting local restaurants burdened by the economic impact of the pandemic.

“We are keeping it affordable for neighbors and residents to continue to support our businesses during this time,” said Ward 4 Council member Brandon Todd.

The bill expands the ban on rent increases in the District and requires utility companies to set up payment plans for default customers.

It also enables those running for office to collect digital signatures.

The council tabled a portion of the bill that addressed insurance relief payouts.

The legislation is awaiting Mayor Muriel Bowser’s signature.


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WTOP’s Megan Cloherty contributed to this report.

National Museum of the American Latino to be housed in historic Smithsonian building

The Smithsonian Institution has decided to put the National Museum of the American Latino into an existing, historic building, rather than constructing a new one. The Smithsonian Board of Regents on Monday designated the Arts and Industries Building, a 145-year-old redbrick Victorian structure located between the Smithsonian Castle and the Hirshhorn Museum, as the permanent site of the National Museum of the American Latino, which Congress authorized in 2020. In 2022, the Smithsonian narrowed its survey for permanent locations for the National Museum of the American Latino and the American Women's History Museum to four locations near the National Mall on land owned by the National Park Service. The Arts and Industries Building, located at 900 Jefferson St. SW, was one of the four sites. New construction on National Park Service land would require congressional approval. However, since the Smithsonian already owns the Arts and Industries Building, the institution can place the National Museum of the American Latino in the existing building without additional legislation.
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