B26-0189 • 2025

Residential Tranquility Amendment Act of 2025

Land

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Pinto
Last action: 2025-11-14
Official status: Official Law
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill metadata lists the effective date as October 28, 2025, while the enrolled original text states it takes effect after a 60-day congressional review period following approval on July 21, 2025. The exact calculation of this timeline is not detailed in the provided excerpts.

Residential Tranquility Amendment Act of 2025

This law updates rules about demonstrations near homes by banning loudspeakers at night, leaving unattended speakers running, and throwing objects to scare people.

What This Bill Does

Prohibits using sound amplifying devices for demonstrations targeting a home between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. in residential zones.
Bans leaving an unattended sound amplifying device emitting sound to target a residence for demonstration purposes.
Makes it illegal to continue or restart these activities after a law enforcement officer instructs the person to stop.
Allows the Mayor and Metropolitan Police Department to seize and impound any unattended sound devices used in violation of this rule.
Prohibits knowingly launching or throwing an object onto another person's residential property with intent to cause fear, intimidate, or harass residents.
Sets a specific term expiration date for Council appointments to the Corrections Information Council as December 7th.

Who It Names or Affects

People who use sound amplifying devices during demonstrations targeting homes in residential zones.
Individuals living or working at residences targeted by these activities.
The Metropolitan Police Department and the Mayor's office regarding enforcement and seizure of equipment.
Council members appointed to serve on the Corrections Information Council.

Terms To Know

Sound amplifying device: Any machine, device, or loudspeaker that makes human voice, music, or other sounds louder. This does not include car audio systems heard only by people inside the vehicle.
Residential Zone: Areas defined in District of Columbia Zoning Regulations as Residential Zones, Residential Flat Zones, or Residential Apartment Zones where homes are located.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not define specific penalties for using sound amplifying devices at night other than the authority to seize equipment.
Fines and jail time for throwing objects depend on amounts set in a separate act from 2013, which are not listed in this text.

Bill History

2025-11-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Law L26-0053, Effective from Oct 28, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 012677
2025-08-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Transmitted to Congress
2025-07-25 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Act A26-0115 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 008167
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 A26-0115
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
2025-06-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Legislative Meeting
2025-06-11 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Committee Mark-up of B26-0189 by the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee
2025-04-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Public Hearing on B26-0189 View Public Hearing Record
2025-04-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Public Hearing on B26-0189 View Public Hearing Record
2025-04-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register
2025-04-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register
2025-04-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary
2025-04-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary
2025-04-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety
2025-03-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0189 Published in the District of Columbia Register
2025-03-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
B26-0189 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Residential Tranquility Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-115,
TN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
SULY 21, 2025
‘ToamendtheResidentialTranquilityActof2010toprohibitpersonstargetingaresidenceforpurposesofdemonstrationfromusingsoundamplifyingdevicesinaresidentialzonebetween7:00p.m.and9:00a.m.,toprohibittheuseofunattendedsoundamplifyingdevicesemittingsoundwhiletargetingaresidence,andtoprohibitapersonfromJaunchingorthrowinganobjectontotheresidentialpropertyofanotherwiththeintentto‘causefear,intimidate,orharassanypersonlivingorworkingatthatresidence;andtoamendtheNationalCapitalRevitalizationandSelf-GovernmentImprovementActof1997toprovidethatthetermexpirationdateforaCouncilappointmenttotheCorrectionsInformationCouncilshallbeDecember7thoftheyearinwhichthetermexpires.
BEIT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Thatthis
actmay be citedasthe“ResidentialTranquilityAmendment Act of2025”.
Sec.2.TheResidentialTranquilityActof2010,effectiveMay26,2011(D.C.Law18-374; D.C. OfficialCode § 22-2751 etseq.),isamended as follows:
(a)Section2(D.C.OfficialCode§22-2751)isamendedasfollows:(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“,forthepurposeof,persuadingoneormoreindividuals,orthepublic,ortoprotestsomeaction,attitude,orbelief.”andinsertingaperiodinitsplace.
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“humanbeings”andinsertingtheword“individuals”initsplace.(3)A newparagraph(4)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“(4)“Soundamplifyingdevice”meansanymachine,device,orloudspeakerthat
amplifiessoundofthehumanvoice,music,oranyothersound.Theterm“soundamplifyingdevice”shallnotincludeautomobileaudiosystemswhenusedandheardonlybytheoccupantsofthevehicleinwhichtheautomobileaudiosystemisinstalled.”.(b)Section3(D.C.OfficialCode§22-2752)isamendedbyaddingnewsubsections(a-1),(@-2),(@-3),and(a-4)toreadasfollows:

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(a-1)Itisunlawfulforapersontotargetaresidenceforpurposesofa demonstrationbyusingasoundamplifyingdevicebetween7:00p.m.and9:00a.m.wherethetargetedresidenceis,infact,locatedinaResidentialZone,ResidentialFlatZone,orResidentialApartmentZone,asthosetermsandZonesaredefinedatthetimeoftheoftheconductgivingrisetotheviolationintheDistrictofColumbiaZoningRegulations.“(a-2)Itisunlawfultoleaveanunattendedsoundamplifyingdeviceemittingsoundtotargetaresidenceforpurposesofademonstrationwherethetargetedresidenceis,infact,locatedinaResidentialZone,ResidentialFlatZone,orResidentialApartmentZone,asthosetermsandZonesaredefinedatthetimeoftheoftheconductgivingrisetotheviolationintheDistrictofColumbiaZoningRegulations.
“(a-3)Itisunlawfultocontinueorresumetargetingaresidenceinviolationofsubsection(a-1)or(a-2)ofthissectionafterbeinginstructedbyalawenforcementofficertoceasetargetingaresidenceinviolationofthislaw.“(a-4)TheMayorandMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentmayseizeandimpoundanyunattendedsoundamplifyingdevicestargetingaresidenceforpurposesofademonstrationinviolationofsubsection(a-2)ofthissection.”.
(c)A newsection3aisaddedtoreadasfollows:“Sec.3a.Throwingobjectsatresidentialproperty.“(a)Itisunlawfulforanypersontoknowinglylaunchorthrowanobjectontotheresidentialpropertyofanotherwiththeintenttocausefear,intimidate,orharassanypersonlivingorworkingatthatresidence.“(b)A personwhoviolatesthissection,uponconviction,shallbefinednomorethantheamountsetforthinsection101oftheCriminalFineProportionalityAmendmentActof2012,
effectiveJune11,2013(D.C.Law19-317;D.C.OfficialCode§22-3571.01),orincarceratedfornomorethan90days,orboth.”.
See.3.Section11201a(b)(2)oftheNationalCapitalRevitalizationandSelf-GovernmentImprovementActof1997,effectiveOctober2,2010(D.C.Law18-233:D.C.OfficialCode§24-101.01(b)(2)),isamendedbyaddinganewsubparagraph(B-1)toreadasfollows:
“(B-1)Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionoflaw,thetermexpirationdateforaCouncilappointmenttotheCorrectionsInformationCouncilshallbeDecember7thoftheyearinwhichthetermexpire

Sec.4.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,
approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.5.Effectivedate.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ThisactshalltakeeffectafterapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda60-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(2)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(2)).
‘Chairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

Distijctof Columbia
APPROVED
JULY 21, 2025

[1ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XTACTION
[UX]VOTEDATE
[X1VoIcEvoTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[TROLLCALLVOTE-Result
COUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FirstReading
June17,2025
Approved
Parker

CouncilMember_| Aye[Nay[NV_|AB|Rec|CouncitMember|Aye|Nay|NV[AB|Rec|CouncilMemberAye|Nay|NV[AB| Rec.
ChairmanMendetson| Henderson x Pinto
‘Alen x LewisGeorge_| x RWhite
Bonds x MeDutfie x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X-IndicateVote AB~Absent NV--Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
‘CERTIFICATIONRECORD
=f 4s“SecretarytotheCouncil Date
DocketNo,826.0169
[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[X]ACTION FinalReading
[{X]VOTE DATE July1, 2025
[X]VOICE VOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST Nadeau,andParker
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTEResult

CounciiMember |Aye[Nay[NV[AB
ChairmanMendelson)

A v0 =e
Rec|CouncitMemberAye[Nay[Nv[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB [Rec
x Henderson x Pinto x
‘Allen x LewisGeorge_| x White x
Bonds x McDuffie x
Felder x Nadeau
Frumin x Parker
X-IndicateVote ‘AB~Absent NV-Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD