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B26-0017 • 2025

Sexual Harassment Investigation Integrity Amendment Act of 2025

Sexual Harassment Investigation Integrity Amendment Act of 2025

Labor
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Nadeau
Last action
2025-01-10
Official status
Under Council Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text uses the term 'conciliation' which was translated to 'settling' in the summary for readability, though conciliation specifically refers to resolving disputes without a formal hearing.

Sexual Harassment Investigation Integrity Amendment Act of 2025

This bill requires that complaints about harassment or unlawful discrimination against certain high-level District government employees be investigated by the Inspector General using outside lawyers.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Mayor to set rules for investigating, settling (conciliation), and hearing administrative complaints filed against District agencies, officials, and employees alleging violations of human rights laws.
  • Sends investigations of harassment or unlawful discrimination to the Office of the Inspector General if the accused person is a specific high-ranking employee.
  • Mandates that the Inspector General hire independent lawyers with experience in confidentiality and sexual harassment law to conduct these investigations quickly.
  • Requires investigators to check if District government money was spent during any illegal acts and look at workplace culture or management issues that may have contributed.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Mayoral appointees who work for subordinate agencies, boards, or commissions as defined by the Confirmation Act of 1978.
  • Directors of non-subordinate District agencies.
  • Career, Educational, Legal, Excepted, or Management Supervisory Services employees who report directly to the Mayor or City Administrator.

Terms To Know

Inspector General
The official office designated by this bill to oversee investigations of high-level government employees regarding harassment and discrimination.
Independent counsel
Outside lawyers hired by the Inspector General who have experience in confidentiality, sexual harassment law, litigation, and mediation.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not state how much money will be needed to hire independent lawyers or run these new investigations.
  • This process only applies if a specific high-level employee is accused; it does not change rules for complaints against other workers.

Bill History

  1. 2025-01-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0017 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  2. 2025-01-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Referred to Committee on Public Works and Operations, and Committee on Executive Administration and Labor

  3. 2025-01-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0017 Introduced by Councilmember Nadeau at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Sexual Harassment Investigation Integrity Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
1

A BILL

_________________________

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

_________________________

To Amend the District of Columbia Human Rights Act of 1977 to establish investigatory 1
procedures for harassment by certain District government employees. 2
3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 4
act may be cited as the “Sexual Harassment Investigation Integrity Amendment Act of 2025”. 5
Sec. 2. Section 303 of The District of Columbia Human Rights Act of 1977, effective 6
December 13, 1977 (D.C. Law 2-38, D.C. Official Code § 2-1401.01), is amended as follows: 7
(a) Subsection (a) is amended to read as follows: 8
_____________________________
Councilmember Christina Henderson
_____________________________
Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau
_____________________________
Councilmember Brooke Pinto
_____________________________
Councilmember Janeese Lewis George
_____________________________
Councilmember Charles Allen

_____________________________
Councilmember Zachary Parker

_____________________________
Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr.

2
“(a) Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, The Mayor shall establish rules of 9
procedure for the investigation, conciliation, and hearing of administrative complaints filed 10
against District government agencies, officials and employees alleging violations of this chapter. 11
The final administrative determination in such matters shall be made by the Mayor or his 12
designee.” 13
(b) A new subsection (c) is added to read as follows: 14
“(c) (1) Investigations of a formal or informal complaint of harassment or other unlawful 15
discriminatory practice by a District government employee shall be referred to the Inspector 16
General if the alleged perpetrator, at the time of the alleged incident or at the time of the 17
complaint, serves in one of the following capacities: 18
“(A) A mayoral appointee of any subordinate agency, board, or 19
commission, as defined by the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-20
142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01); 21
“(B) The Director of a non-subordinate agency; or, 22
“(C) Any Career, Educational, Legal, Excepted, or Management 23
Supervisory Services employee who reports directly to the Mayor or City Administrator. 24
“(2) The Inspector General shall hire and retain independent counsel to conduct 25
prompt investigations into any complaints referred pursuant to paragraph (1), and to produce a 26
report of findings. 27
“(A) Independent counsel hired and retained by the Inspector General 28
pursuant to this subsection shall have experience in confidentiality and sexual harassment law, 29
including litigation and mediation.” 30
“(3) Investigations referred to the Inspector General, in addition to encompassing 31

3
the direct scope of the complaint, shall include an assessment of whether any District 32
government resources were expended in the course of any unlawful discriminatory practice, and 33
whether workplace culture, management procedures, or other broader factors contributed to any 34
unlawful discriminatory practice. 35
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 36
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 37
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 38
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 39
Sec. 4. Effective date. 40
This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 41
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 42
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 43
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 44
Columbia Register. 45