WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The D.C. Council overturned the mayor’s veto of a revised criminal code in a 12-1 vote on Tuesday.

Only one member of the Council voted against overturning this veto.

The Council had unanimously passed the revised code that proposed reduced penalties for carjackings, burglaries and homicides last year. This was the first revision since 1901.

“The mayor and I get along on a lot of issues… but on this one, I just have to say this… it is irresponsible for the mayor to characterize this as ‘this bill does not make us safer.’ That is irresponsible rhetoric,” Chairman Phil Mendelson said.

Councilman Trayon White was the only council member to vote no on the motion. All other council members disagreed with the mayor’s veto.

It will be the first revision of the city’s criminal code since 1901.

“I support modernizing and standardizing the district’s criminal code. However, given the broad scope of legislation, and remaining divisions of the criminal justice community, I urge the Council to take more time to consider it,” Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a letter on Jan. 4.

She added that she had “raised objections that the council substantially reduced penalties for robberies, carjacking, and home invasion burglaries.”

“Seven out of 10 Washingtonians are serving sentences of a decade or more, and one in four imprisoned people have already served 15 years — yet crime persists, and we don’t feel safe,” said Councilmember Robert White.

“Should we consider down this road or try something different?” White continued.

The legislation also included plans to expand rights to jury trials for all misdemeanors, making carjacking a stand-alone offense, eliminating most mandatory minimum sentences and a second look for all sentencing reform — which allows people convicted of crimes as children and young adults to later petition for a sentence review.

“We stand at the finish line of a 16-year process that would make significant improvement.” Councilmember Charles Allen said.

“This law, once enacted, will lead to violent crime rates exploding even more than they already have. It’s reprehensible that the Council would smugly continue to support failed policies at the expense of the lives of our most vulnerable residents,” said Gregg Pemberton, Chairman of the DC Police Union.

Supporters and those against the revision, agree on one thing. They say District residents are fed up with crime.

“Today is the 17^th day of January, and already this calendar year, we have at least five different school communities who are dealing with the direct impacts of gun violence,” said Councilmember Christina Henderson.

Most of the legislation isn’t scheduled to go into effect until October 2025, and Allen said the law will likely be amended over the years.