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B26-0148 • 2025

Consumer Protection Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Consumer Protection Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Housing
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Mendelson
Last action
2025-03-28
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details about what will happen after the emergency period ends.

Consumer Protection Law Change for District Government

This law changes the consumer protection rules in Washington D.C. to clarify that the government is not a merchant, except when it acts as a landlord through the Housing Authority.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of 'merchant' in the consumer protection laws so that the District government and its agencies are not considered merchants unless they act as landlords for tenants.
  • Ensures that the law about landlord-tenant relations still applies to the D.C. Housing Authority when it rents out housing.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The District of Columbia government and its agencies
  • People who rent from the D.C. Housing Authority

Terms To Know

merchant
A person or organization that sells goods or services to consumers.
consumer protection law
Laws designed to protect people who buy products and use services from unfair business practices.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The changes made by this act will only last for up to 90 days.
  • It is not clear what happens after the emergency period ends.

Bill History

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

    Act A26-0032 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 003334, Expires on Jun 18, 2025

  2. 2025-03-20 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0032, Expires on Jun 18, 2025

  3. 2025-03-20 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

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-03-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0148 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Consumer Protection Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-32
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
MARCH 20, 2025
‘Toamend,onanemergencybasis,duetocongressionalreview,Chapter39ofTitle28oftheDistrictofColumbiaOfficialCodetoclarifythattheDistrictgovernmentisnotamerchantundertheDistriet’sconsumerprotectionlawexceptwithrespecttotheapplicationofthatchapter'slandlord-tenantrelationsprovisionstotheDistrictofColumbiaHousingAuthority.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmaybecitedasthe“ConsumerProtectionClarificationCongressionalReviewEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.Section28-3901 of theDistrictof Columbia OfficialCode isamended as follows:
(a)Subsection(a)(3)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“@)(A)“merchant”meansaperson,whetherorganizedoroperatingforprofitorforanonprofitpurpose,whointheordinarycourseofbusinessdoesorwouldsell,lease,ortransfer,eitherdirectlyorindirectly,consumergoodsorservices,orapersonwhointheordinarycourseofbusinessdoesorwouldsupplythegoodsorserviceswhichareorwouldbethesubject,
matterofatradepractice.“(B) Except as providedinsubsection(e)ofthis section,“merchant” does
notincludetheDistrictofColumbia,itsagenciesorinstrumentalities,oranyemployeethereofactingwithinthescopeoftheemployee’sofficialduties;”.(b)Subsection(¢)isamendedtoreadasfollow:“(©Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionofthischapter,thischapter'sapplicationtolandlord-tenantrelationsshallincludetheDistrictofColumbiaHousingAuthority’sactivitiesasalandlord;except,thatthischaptershallnotbeconstruedtootherwiseapplytotheDistrictofColumbia,itsagenciesorinstrumentalities,oranyemployeethereofactingwithinthescopeoftheemployee'sofficialduties.”

Sec.3.Applicability.(a)Section2(a)shallapplyasofJune12,2007.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(b)Section2(b)shallapplyasofNovember3,2022.
Sec.4.Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-301.47a).
Sec.5.Efiectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;
D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-204.12(2)).
Abairman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
DistrictofColumbiaAPPROVED
MARCH 20, 2025
wv
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

[X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR

DaACTION FinalReading,CC
DavoTeDATE March4,2025
[X1VoIcEvote ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT

[JROLLCALLVOTE~Resutt

[CouncMember[Aye[Nay|Nv|AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[NayNV [AB[Rec|CouncitMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendetson|x Henderson x Pinto x
Allen x LewisGeorge_| x RWhite
Bonds x McDuffie x
Felder x Nadeau x;
Frumin x Parker x
X-IndicateVote ‘ABAbsent NV-Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
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