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B26-0199 • 2025

Open Meetings Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Open Meetings Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Technology
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Mendelson
Last action
2025-04-11
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the act remains in effect for no longer than 90 days, which aligns with the July 6 expiration date provided in the metadata.

Open Meetings Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This emergency law clarifies the definition of a public meeting, adds exceptions for safety briefings and meetings between the Council and Mayor if no official action is taken, and updates rules on how the public can view or hear these gatherings.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies that a 'meeting' includes any gathering where members discuss or vote on public business, whether held in person or online.
  • Exempts meetings between the Council and the Mayor from open meeting rules if no official action is decided at those gatherings.
  • Allows public bodies to hold closed sessions for briefings about potential terrorist attacks or serious health threats without taking official votes.
  • Requires public bodies to take steps that allow people to view or hear a meeting while it happens, or as soon as possible after if technology fails.
  • Adds the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to the list of groups exempt from certain open meeting requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public bodies in Washington, D.C., including government agencies and councils.
  • Members of the District of Columbia Council.
  • The Mayor of Washington, D.C.
  • Staff members, legal counsel, law enforcement officials, and emergency service officials who provide safety briefings.

Terms To Know

Quorum
The minimum number of members required to be present for a group to make official decisions or hold a meeting.
Official action
A formal decision, vote, or recommendation made by the public body during a gathering.
Public body
Any government group or committee that makes decisions for the District of Columbia.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law is an emergency act and will expire on July 6, 2025.
  • The Council may create its own rules to handle open meetings if it chooses to do so under this new section.
  • The text does not specify the exact technology standards required for streaming or recording meetings.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-11 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0041 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 004070, Expires on Jul 06, 2025

  2. 2025-04-08 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  3. 2025-04-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0041, Expires on Jul 06, 2025

  4. 2025-04-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Apr 18, 2025

  5. 2025-04-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-04-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-03-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0199 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Open Meetings Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-41
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
APRIL 7, 2025
Toamend,onanemergencybasis,theOpenMeetingsActtoclarifythedefinitionofmeeting,toprovideforapublicbody’sabilitytobebriefedaboutpotentialterroristorpublichealththreatssolongasnoofficialactionistaken,toexemptfromtheactmeetingsbetweentheCouncilandtheMayorprovidedthatnoofficialactionistakenatsuchmeetings,andto
providethatameetingshallbedeemedopentothepublicifthepublicbodytakesstepsreasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictovieworhearthemeetingwhilethemeetingis,takingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologicallyfeasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable.
BEI ENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“OpenMeetingsClarificationEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.TheOpenMeetingsAct,effectiveMarch31,2011(D.C.Law18-350;D.C.OfficialCode§2-571etseq.),isamendedasfollows:(a)Section404(D.C.OfficialCode§2-574)isamendedasfollows:(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(1)(A)“Meeting”meansanygatheringofaquorumofthemembersofapublicbody,includinghearingsandroundtables,whetherformalorinformal,regular,special,oremergency,atwhichthemembersconsider,conduct,oradviseonpublicbusiness,includinggatheringinformation,takingtestimony,discussing,deliberating,recommending,andvoting,regardlessofwhetherheldinperson,bytelephone,electronically,orbyothermeansofcommunication,“(B)Theterm“meeting”shallnotinclude:“(i)Achanceorsocialgathering;provided,thatitisnotheldtoavoidtheprovisionsofthisparagraph;or“@i)Apressconference,“(C)ForthepurposesoftheCouneiloftheDistrictofColumbia,theterm“meeting”meansaregularoradditionallegislativemeeting,andcommitteemeetingswherevotesaretaken.”.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Subparagraph(E)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;or”and
insertinga semicoloninitsplace.
(B)Subparagraph(F)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodattheendand
insertingthephrase“;or”initsplace.
(C) Anewsubparagraph(G)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(G)The CriminalJusticeCoordinatingCouncil.”.
(b)Section405(D.C.OfficialCode§2-575)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Subsection(a)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Paragraph(2)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;or”andinsertinga
semicoloninitsplace.
(B)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“televised.”and
insertingthephrase“televised;or”initsplace.
(C)A newparagraph(4)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(4)Thepublicbodytakesstepsreasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictoview
orhearthemeetingwhilethemeetingistakingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologically
feasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable.”.
(2)Subsection(b)(8)isamended toreadas follows:
“(8)Todiscussandtakeactionregardingspecificmethodsandproceduresto
protectthepublicorapublicbodyfromexistingorpotentialterroristactivityorothersubstantial
dangerstopublichealthandsafety,ortoreceivebriefingsbystaffmembers,legalcounsel,law
enforcementofficials,oremergencyserviceofficialsconcerningthesemethodsandprocedures;
provided,thatdisclosurecouldendangerthepublicorthepublicbody;”.
(3)Subsection(f)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“( Notwithstandinganyprovisionofthisact,theCouncilmayadoptitsownrulesto
ensuretheDistrict’sopenmeetingspolicy,asestablishedinsection402,ismetwithrespectto
gatheringsofcouncilmembers;provided,thatunlesstheCounciladoptsrulespursuanttothis
subsection,thistitleshallapplytotheCouncil.”.
(4)A newsubsection(h)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(h)ThistitleshallnotapplytoameetingbetweenmembersoftheCouncilandthe
Mayor;provided,thatnoofficialactionisdecidedatthemeeting.”
(c)Section406(D.C.OfficialCode§2-576)isamendedasfollows:(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“Exceptforemergency
meetings,a publicbodyshallprovide”and insertingthephrase“A publicbody shallattemptto
provide”initsplace.
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“Notwithstandingthenotice
requirementofparagraph(2)ofthissubsection,except”andinsertingtheword“Except”inits
place.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(3)Paragraph(4)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“urgentmatter,”andinserting
thephrase“urgentmatter,andnotwithstandingparagraphs(1)and(3)ofthissubsection,”inits
place.(d)Section407(a)(D.C.OfficialCode§2-577(a))isamendedasfollows:(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(1)Reasonablearrangementsaremadetoaccommodatethepublie’srighttoattendthemeetingorstepsaretakenthatarereasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictoviewortohearthemeetingwhilethemeetingistakingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologicallyfeasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable;”.(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“takenbyrollcall”and
insertingtheword“recorded”initsplace.(@)Section409%(a)(D.C.OfficialCode§2-579(a))isamendedbystrikingthephrase
“Councilmeetings”andinsertingthephrase“meetingsandgatheringsofcouncilmembers”initsplace.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredby section4aof theGeneralLegislativeProceduresAct of 1975,approved
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode § 1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovaloftheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan

ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
90 days,as providedforemergency actsof theCouncilofthe Districtof Columbia insection
412(a)of theDistrictof Columbia Home Rule Act,approvedDecember 24, 1973 (87 Stat.788;
D.C. OfficialCode § 1-204.12(a)).
Ge‘hairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

Mayor
Districtof Colambia
APPROVEDAPRIL 7, 2025

DocketNo.826-0199
[JITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[xJAcTION
DOVOTEDATE
[XIVOICEVOTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE~Result
COUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading
April4,2025
Approved
Allen,andLewisGeorge

[CouncilMember_| Aye[Nay|NV_|AB| Rec|CouncilMember_|Aye|Nay|NV|AB| Rec|CouncilMember| Aye|Nay|NV_|AB| Rec
ChairmanMendelson]x Henderson__| x Pinto x
‘Alen x LewisGeorge x RWhite x
Bonds x Mcoutfe
Felder Nadeau
Frumin x Parker
X-IndicateVoto [AB~Absent NV--Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
4-32-37‘SecretarytotheCounel