B26-0048 • 2025

Review of Agency Action Clarification Amendment Act of 2025

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Mendelson
Last action: 2025-09-19
Official status: Official Law
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the factors for determining reasonableness beyond mentioning them in passing.

Review of Agency Action Clarification Amendment Act

This act amends the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act to require reviewing tribunals to defer to an agency's reasonable interpretation of a statute or rule when it is silent or ambiguous on specific issues, provided that the interpretation is not plainly wrong or inconsistent with the statute’s language or legislative intent.

What This Bill Does

Amends part of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act to require reviewing tribunals to defer to an agency's reasonable interpretation of a statute or rule when it is silent or ambiguous on specific issues, provided that the interpretation is not plainly wrong or inconsistent with the statute’s language or legislative intent.

Who It Names or Affects

Courts in the District of Columbia
Administrative bodies reviewing agency decisions

Terms To Know

Agency deference: The practice where courts and administrative bodies follow an agency's interpretation of a law or rule when the meaning is unclear.
Reviewing tribunal: A court or administrative body that reviews decisions made by agencies.

Limits and Unknowns

The act does not specify how much weight should be given to an agency's interpretation.
It is unclear what happens if an agency’s interpretation changes over time and becomes inconsistent.

Bill History

2025-09-19 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Law L26-0037, Effective from Sep 10, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 010161
2025-07-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Transmitted to Congress
2025-07-25 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Act A26-0111 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 008154
2025-07-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Returned from Mayor
2025-07-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0111
2025-07-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jul 24, 2025
2025-07-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Legislative Meeting
2025-06-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Committee Report Filed by the Committee of the Whole, Includes Hearing Record
2025-06-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Legislative Meeting
2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Committee Mark-up of B26-0048 by the Committee of the Whole
2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Legislative Meeting
2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Mark-up filed in the Office of Secretary
2025-03-26 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Public Hearing on B26-0048 View Public Hearing Record
2025-02-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register
2025-02-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary
2025-01-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0048 Published in the District of Columbia Register
2025-01-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Referred to Committee of the Whole
2025-01-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
B26-0048 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Review of Agency Action Clarification Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ANACT
D.C. ACT 26-111
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
JULY 21, 2025
‘ToamendtheDistrictofColumbiaAdministrativeProcedureActtocodifyagencydeferenceasitexistedpriortotheSupremeCourt’sdecisioninLoperBrightEnterprisesv.Raimondo
whilepermittingthecontinueddevelopmentofthelawofdeference,andtoclarifythatareviewingtribunalshalldefertoanagency’sreasonableinterpretationofa statuteorruleitadministerswhenthestatuteorruleissilentorambiguouswithrespecttoaspecificissuesolongasthatinterpretationisnotplainlywrongorinconsistentwitheitherthestatute'sorrule’slanguageorthelegislature’soragency’sintent.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Thatthis
actmay be citedasthe“Review of Agency ActionClarificationAmendment Actof 2025”.
Sec.2.Section110oftheDistrictofColumbiaAdministrativeProcedureAct,approvedOctober21,1968(82Stat.1209;D.C.OfficialCode§2-510),isamendedasfollows:{(a)Subsection(a)(1)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“Sofarasnecessary”andinsertingthephrase“Subjecttosubsections(c),(d),and(e)ofthissectionandsofarasnecessary”initsplace.(b)New subsections(c),(d),and(e)areaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(©Inreviewinganorderordecisionofanagencyinanycourtoradministrativeproceeding,includingproceedingsundersubsection(a)ofthissection,thereviewingtribunalshalldefertotheagency'sreasonableinterpretationofa statuteorruleitadministers,whenthestatuteorruleissilentorambiguouswithrespecttoaspecificissue;provided,thattheinterpretationisnotplainlywrongorinconsistentwitheitherthestatute'sorrule’slanguageorthelegislature’soragency'sintent.“(@)Inreviewingaruleadoptedbyanagency,thereviewingtribunalshalldefertotheagency’sreasonableinterpretationofastatuteitadministers,whenthestatuteissilentorambiguouswithrespecttoaspecificissue;provided,thattheinterpretationisnotplainlywrongor inconsistentwitheitherthestatute’slanguageorthelegislature'sintent.“(6)Indeterminingwhetheraninterpretationbyanagencyisreasonableundersubsection(©)or(@)ofthissection,thereviewingtribunalmayconsider,amongotherfactors:

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
““(1)Whethertheinterpretationprovidedbyanagencyhasbeenconsistentandlongstanding;
“(2)Whetherthespecificissueiswithinthescopeoftheagency'ssubjectmatter-expertise;and
“(3)Thethoroughnessandformalityoftheagency’sconsideration.”.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1)).
fo
Chairman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
Dist ff Columbia
JULY 21, 2025

(X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[LX]ACTION,
[X] VOTE DATE
(X]VOICEvoTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE-Result
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FirstReading,CC
June3,2025
‘Approved
Pinto

CouncilMember /Aye|Nay|NV_|AB |Rec |CouncilMember| Aye|Nay|NV_|AB |Rec|CouncilMember_| Aye|Nay|NV | AB | Rec
caimanMendetson|x Henderson|x Pinto x
Allen x LewisGeorge x R.White x
Bonds x McDuff x
Fels x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X--IndicateVote AB ~Absent NV -Present,NotVoting Rec -Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
7-9 -TSecretarytheCounc Date
DocketNo,B26-0048
[IITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR,
UXTACTION FinalReading
1x]VOTEDATE July4,20285
[X]VOICE VOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE —Result
[counciMember[Aye[Nay[Nv[AB[Rec[CouncMember[Aye[NayNV[AB[Rec[GounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson]x Henderson|x Pinto
‘Alen x LewisGeorge|x White x
Bonds x Mebutie x
Feler x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
IndicateVote ‘AB~Absent [NV-Prsent,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
7:4 x
SecretarytotheCounc