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B26-0122 • 2025

Proposed Contract No. DCCB-2025-F-0003 with Edelson PC Approval and Payment Authorization Emergency Act of 2025

Proposed Contract No. DCCB-2025-F-0003 with Edelson PC Approval and Payment Authorization Emergency Act of 2025

Enacted

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

Sponsor
at the request of the Attorney General
Last action
2025-03-28
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Emergency Act to Approve a Legal Contract with Edelson PC

This law approves an emergency contract for the District of Columbia Attorney General's Office to hire lawyers from Edelson PC to investigate and sue over past lead water pipe issues.

What This Bill Does

  • Approves multiyear Contract No. DCCB-2025-F-0003 with the law firm Edelson PC on an emergency basis.
  • Authorizes payment of up to $85 million for legal services received and to be received under this contract.
  • Allows the Public Advocacy Division of the Office of the Attorney General to use these lawyers for investigations and potential lawsuits against identified targets.
  • Targets violations of law related to past marketing, selling, and installation of lead water pipes.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The District of Columbia Council
  • The Office of the Attorney General in Washington, D.C.
  • Edelson PC, a private law firm

Terms To Know

Emergency Act
A type of law that takes effect quickly and stays in force for no longer than 90 days unless extended.
Not-to-exceed amount
The maximum dollar limit set by the government for paying a contractor, which cannot be passed without new approval.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act remains in effect for no longer than 90 days after it takes effect.
  • The text does not list specific names of companies or individuals being investigated as targets.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0039 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 003351, Expires on Jun 24, 2025

  2. 2025-03-26 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0039, Expires on Jun 24, 2025

  3. 2025-03-25 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  4. 2025-03-11 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Mar 25, 2025

  5. 2025-03-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  6. 2025-02-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council with comments from the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

  7. 2025-02-12 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0122 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Proposed Contract No. DCCB-2025-F-0003 with Edelson PC Approval and Payment Authorization Emergency Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT

ACT 26-39
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
MARCH 26, 2025
Toapprove,onanemergencybasis,multiyearContractNo.DCCB-2025-F-0003withEdelsonPC,toprovidelegalservicestotheOfficeoftheAttorneyGeneral,andtoauthorizepaymentfortheservicesreceivedandtobereceivedunderthecontract.
BEITENACTEDBY THECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“ContractNo.DCCB-2025-F-0003withEdelsonPCApprovalandPaymentAuthorizationEmergencyActof2025”.
Sec,2.Pursuantto section451 of the Districtof Columbia Home Rule Act,approved
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat.803: D.C. OfficialCode § 1-204.51),and notwithstandingthe
requirementsofsection202oftheProcurementPracticesReformActof2010,effectiveApril8,2011 (D.C. Law 18-371;D.C. OfficialCode § 2-352.02),the Council approves multiyear
ContractNo.DCCB-2025-F-0003withEdelsonPCtoprovidelegalservicestoassistthePublicAdvocacyDivisionoftheOfficeoftheAttorneyGeneralwithaninvestigationofandpotentiallitigationagainstidentifiedtargetsforviolationsoflawrelatedtopastmarketing,selling,andinstallationofleadwaterpipes,andauthorizespaymentinthenot-to-exceedamountof$85millionforservicesreceivedandtobereceivedunderthecontract.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementprovidedbytheChiefFinancialOfficeras,thefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a)..
Sec.4.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobythe
Mayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectforno
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
Iongerthan90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiain
Section412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87
Stat,788;D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
airman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
UNSIGNED

MayorDistrictofColumbia
MARCH 24, 2025

DocketNo.826-0122
[DX]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
UXTACTION
[D<1VOTEDATE
DxVoicevoTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[TROLLCALLVOTE- Result
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading,CC
‘March4,2025
‘Approved

CouncMember[Aye[NayNV[AB[Rec|CouncitMember[Aye[Nay[Nv[AB[Rec[CouncMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson]X Henderson| X Pinto
‘Allen x LewisGeore| x R.White
Bonds x MeDutfie x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X -IndicateVote AB-Absent NV - Present,Not Voting Rec -Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
=v‘SecretarytoteCoun