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B26-0200 • 2025

Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Open Meetings Clarification Temporary 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
2025-09-12
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact expiration date depends on when the Mayor approves or vetoes the bill, which is not fixed in the text provided; only the duration (225 days) is certain.

Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This temporary law clarifies what counts as a public meeting, allows private briefings on safety threats if no action is taken, and exempts meetings between the Council and Mayor from open rules unless official decisions are made.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines a 'meeting' as any gathering of enough members to make decisions where they discuss or decide on public business, but excludes chance social gatherings (unless held to avoid the law) and press conferences.
  • Allows public bodies to hold private briefings about potential terrorist attacks or serious dangers to public health if sharing that information could endanger people, provided no official action is taken during these sessions.
  • Exempts meetings between Council members and the Mayor from open meeting rules as long as no official decisions are made at those gatherings.
  • States a meeting counts as open to the public if steps are taken so people can view or hear it while happening, or soon after if technology fails during the event.
  • Adds the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to the list of groups covered by these rules.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public bodies in the District of Columbia
  • The Council of the District of Columbia and its members
  • The Mayor when meeting with Council members

Terms To Know

Quorum
The minimum number of members required to be present for a group to make official decisions.
Official action
Decisions, votes, or formal recommendations made by the public body during a gathering.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law is temporary and will expire after 225 days of being in effect.
  • The Council may create its own rules for gatherings of council members instead of following this act's general rules, but if they do not adopt new rules, this act applies to them.

Bill History

  1. 2025-09-12 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0024, Effective from Aug 16, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 009563, Expires on Mar 29, 2026

  2. 2025-07-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

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

    Act A26-0086 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 007532

  4. 2025-06-26 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0086

  5. 2025-06-26 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  6. 2025-06-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jun 25, 2025

  7. 2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-05-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  9. 2025-04-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0200 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  10. 2025-04-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  11. 2025-04-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  12. 2025-03-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0200 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ANACT
D.C. ACT 26-86
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
JUNE 26, 2025
‘Toamend,onatemporarybasis,theOpenMeetingsActtoclarifythedefinitionofmeeting,toprovideforapublicbody’sabilitytobebriefedaboutpotentialterroristorpublichealththreatssolongasnoofficialactionistaken,toexemptfromtheactmeetingsbetweentheCouneilandtheMayorprovidedthatnoofficialactionistakenatsuchmeetings,andtoprovidethatameetingshallbedeemedopentothepublicifthepublicbodytakesstepsreasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictovieworhearthemeetingwhilethemeetingistakingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologicallyfeasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmaybecitedasthe“OpenMeetingsClarificationTemporaryAmendmentActof2025”.
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,or
emergency,atwhichthemembersconsider,conduct,oradviseonpublicbusiness,includinggatheringinformation,takingtestimony,discussing,deliberating,recommending,andvoting,regardlessofwhetherheldinperson,bytelephone,electronically,orbyothermeansofcommunication.“(B)Theterm“meeting”shallnotinclude:“(I)Achanceorsocialgathering;provided,thatitisnotheldtoavoidtheprovisionsofthisparagraph;or“Gi)A pressconference.
“(C)ForthepurposesoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbia,theterm“meeting”meansaregularoradditionallegislativemeeting,andcommitteemeetingswherevotesaretaken.”.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Subparagraph(E)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;or”and
insertingasemicoloninitsplace.
(B)Subparagraph(F)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodattheendand
insertingthephrase“;ot”initsplace.
(C)Anew subparagraph(G)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(G)TheCriminalJusticeCoordinatingCouncil.”.
(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)Anew paragraph(4)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(4)Thepublicbodytakesstepsreasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictoview
orhearthemeetingwhilethemeetingistakingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologically
feasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable.”.
(2)Subsection(b)(8)isamended toreadasfollows:
“(8)Todiscussandtakeactionregardingspecificmethodsandproceduresto
protectthepublicorapublicbodyfromexistingorpotentialterroristactivityorothersubstantial
dangerstopublichealthandsafety,ortoreceivebriefingsbystaffmembers,legalcounsel,law
enforcementofficials,oremergencyserviceofficialsconcerningthesemethodsandprocedures;
provided,thatdisclosurecouldendangerthepublicorthepublicbody;”.
(3)Subsection(f)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(®)Notwithstandinganyprovisionofthisact,theCouncilmayadoptitsownrulesto
ensuretheDistrict’sopenmeetingspolicy,asestablishedinsection402,ismet withrespectto
gatheringsofcouncilmembers;provided,thatunlesstheCounciladoptsrulespursuanttothis
subsection,thistitleshallapplytotheCouncil.”.
(4)Anew subsection(h)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(h)ThistitleshallnotapplytoameetingbetweenmembersoftheCouncilandthe
Mayor;provided,thatnoofficialactionisdecidedatthemeeting.”.
(c)Section406(D.C.OfficialCode§2-576)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“Exceptforemergency
apublicbodyshallprovide”andinsertingthephrase“Apublicbodyshallattemptto
nitsplace.
(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,”initsplace.
(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”andinsertingtheword“recorded”initsplace.(e)Section40%a)(D.C.OfficialCode§ 2-579(a))isamendedbystrikingthephrase
“Councilmeetings”andinsertingthephrase“meetingsandgatheringsofcouncilmembers”inits
place.
See.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovaloftheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreview
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
asprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02()(1)).(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
Ue ;
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
UNSIGNED
MayorDistrictofColumbiaJUNE 26, 2025

[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[DaACTION
[X]VOTEDATE
[X]VOICEVOTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE~Resutt
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FirstReading
April1,2025
Approved
Allen,andLewisGeorge

[CouncMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CouncMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson|X Henderson x Pinto x
‘Alen x LewisGeorge x White
Bonds MeDutfe
Felder Nadeau
Frumin Parker
X-IndicateVoto ‘AB~Absent NV-Prosent,NotVoting Roc-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
boDate
DocketNo,826-0200
[ ]ITEM ON CONSENT CALENDAR
[X]ACTION FinalReading
[x]VOTEDATE June3,2028
[x1VOICEvoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST Allen,andLewisGeorge
ABSENT Pinto
[ ]ROLLCALL VOTE —Result
[CouncilMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec[CouncilMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CouncitMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson]X Hendersonx Pinto x
‘Allen x LewisGeorge x R.White x
Bonds MeDufie x
Felder Nadeau
Frumin Parker
X-IndicateVoto ‘ABAbsent NV-Prosent,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
Geese
SecretarytoTheGouncl Date