What: Councilmember Trayon White proposed emergency legislation to stop the doubling of fines when motorists do not pay traffic and parking tickets within the response period (for example a $100 ticket becoming $200).
Where it stands: He withdrew the emergency measure on October 20, 2026 and introduced a permanent bill, asking colleagues to cosponsor and the committee to hold a hearing.
Next: Watch for a committee hearing on the permanent bill.
Introducing the withdrawn emergency resolution, White argued the District should not balance its budget on drivers, citing a report that 62% of the dollar value of traffic fines in 2016-2020 (about $467 million) was issued in neighborhoods that are at least 70% Black with median household income under $50,000, and a national study ranking the District first in automated camera fines per resident. He said the Chief Financial Officer had told him the ticket revenue was not needed to balance the budget. The measure was withdrawn.