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B26-0045 • 2025

Consumer Protection Clarification Amendment Act of 2025

Consumer Protection Clarification Amendment Act of 2025

Housing Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Mendelson
Last action
2025-09-12
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the exact impact or application to specific cases involving the District government’s commercial activities.

Consumer Protection Clarification Amendment Act of 2025

This act clarifies that the District government is not considered a merchant under consumer protection laws, except when it acts as a landlord for the Housing Authority.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of 'merchant' in the District's consumer protection law to exclude the District government and its agencies.
  • Specifies that the District's consumer protection law applies to the Housing Authority only when it acts as a landlord.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The District government
  • Agencies and instrumentalities of the District government
  • Employees acting within their official duties
  • Consumers and businesses in the District

Terms To Know

merchant
A person or organization that sells, leases, or transfers goods or services to consumers.
consumer protection law
Laws designed to protect consumers from unfair business practices and ensure fair treatment in transactions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act does not change the application of consumer protection laws for landlords other than the Housing Authority.
  • It is unclear how this clarification will affect specific cases involving the District government's commercial activities.

Bill History

  1. 2025-09-12 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0035, Effective from Aug 30, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 009574

  2. 2025-07-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  3. 2025-07-18 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0105 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 008007

  4. 2025-07-15 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  5. 2025-07-11 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0105

  6. 2025-07-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jul 16, 2025

  7. 2025-06-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  9. 2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Mark-up filed in the Office of Secretary

  10. 2025-06-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Committee Report Filed by the Committee of the Whole

  11. 2025-05-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Committee Mark-up of B26-0045 by the Committee of the Whole

  12. 2025-03-20 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Public Hearing on B26-0045 View Public Hearing Record

  13. 2025-02-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register

  14. 2025-02-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary

  15. 2025-01-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0045 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  16. 2025-01-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Referred to Committee of the Whole

  17. 2025-01-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0045 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Consumer Protection Clarification Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT

ACT 26-105
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SULY 11, 2025
‘ToamendChapter39ofTitle28oftheDistrictofColumbiaOfficialCodetoclarifythatthe
DistrictgovernmentisnotamerchantundertheDistriet’sconsumerprotectionlawexceptwithrespecttotheapplicationofthatchapter’slandlord-tenantrelations
provisionstotheDistrictofColumbiaHousingAuthority.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Thatthis
actmay be citedasthe“Consumer ProtectionClarificationAmendment Act of2025”.
Sec.2.Section28-3901oftheDistrictofColumbiaOfficialCodeisamendedasfollows:(@)Subsection(a)(3)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(3)(A)“merchant”meansaperson,whetherorganizedoroperatingforprofitor
foranonprofitpurpose,whointheordinarycourseofbusinessdoesorwouldsell,lease,ortransfer,citherdirectlyorindirectly,consumergoodsorservices,orapersonwhointheordinarycourseofbusinessdoesorwouldsupplythegoodsorserviceswhichareorwouldbethesubject
matterofatradepractice,“(B)Exceptasprovidedinsubsection(e)ofthissection,“merchant”doesnotincludetheDistrictofColumbia,itsagenciesorinstrumentalities,oranyemployeethereofactingwithinthescopeoftheemployee’sofficialduties;”.(b)Subsection(c)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(€)Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionofthischapter,thischapter’sapplicationtolandlord-tenantrelationsshallincludethe Districtof Columbia Housing Authority’sactivitiesas
alandlord;except,thatthischaptershallnotbeconstruedtootherwiseapplytotheDistrictofColumbia,itsagenciesorinstrumentalities,oranyemployeethereofactingwithinthescopeoftheemployee'sofficialduties.”.
Sec.3.Applicability.(@)Section2(a)shallapplyasofJune12,2007.(b)Section2(b)shallapplyasofDecember19,2016.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
Sec.4,Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.5.Effectivedate.
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember
24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1)).
pl —
Councilof the Districtof Columbia
MayorDistrictofColumbiaAPPROVED
JULY 11, 2025

DocketNo.826-0045
[2X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR,
[XJACTION
[D0VOTEDATE
[XIVOICEVOTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE~Resuit
FirstReading,CC
June3,2026
‘Approved
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
Pinto

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DocketNo.B26-0045-
[1X]TEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[X] ACTION, FinalReading,CC
[X]VOTE DATE June17,2025
[X]VOICE VOTE Approved
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Council Member Aye |Nay |NV_|AB | Rec|CouncilMember _|Aye| Nay| NV- Rec | CouncilMember _| Aye| Nay |NV | AB _|Rec
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Feder x Nadeau xruin x Pater x
X-IndicateVote AB -Absent. NV -Present,NotVoting Rec -Recused
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