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B26-0282 • 2025

Public Service Exception Charter Amendment Act of 2025

Public Service Exception Charter Amendment Act of 2025

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Henderson
Last action
2025-06-20
Official status
Under Council Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how voter approval will be conducted or if there are additional steps required before the bill can become law beyond voter ratification.

Amendment to Prevent Expelled Councilmembers from Serving Again

This bill changes the rules for who can be a Councilmember in Washington D.C., adding that someone expelled from the Council cannot become a Councilmember again within five years.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a rule that says if a person is kicked out of the Council, they cannot run to be a Councilmember for five years after being kicked out.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to become Councilmembers in Washington D.C.
  • Current and former Councilmembers who might be expelled or have been expelled.

Terms To Know

Home Rule Act
The law that gives the District of Columbia some control over its own government, instead of having everything controlled by Congress.
Councilmember
A person who is elected to be part of the Council in Washington D.C., which helps make laws for the city.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill needs approval from voters before it can become a law.
  • It only affects people expelled after this rule is added, not those expelled before.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-20 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0282 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  2. 2025-06-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Referred to Committee of the Whole

  3. 2025-06-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0282 Introduced by Councilmember Henderson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Public Service Exception Charter Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA The John A. Wilson Building 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20004

Statement of Introduction Public Service Exception Charter Amendment Act of 2025 June 9, 2025 For first time in the 50 years of Home Rule the Council expelled one of its members for violations of the Council’s Code of Official Conduct, and the District’s Ethics Act in February 2025. As public officials, we have a responsibility to uphold the sacred trust of our office, not only when we are considering ethics violations by a colleague, but when we realize that our laws must be changed in response to changing political situations. In the spirit of upholding that trust, there should be clear consequences for being expelled from this body, including a prohibition on serving as Councilmember for a period of time. This is why today, along with Councilmembers Brooke Pinto, Charles Allen, and Brianne K. Nadeau, I am introducing the Public Service Exception Charter Amendment Act of 2025 to prohibit any expelled Councilmember from again serving as Councilmember for the following five-year period. In the wake of this year’s expulsion, many members of our community questioned why an expelled member could run in the special election created by the expulsion. I didn’t have an answer for them. Qualifications for holding office as a Councilmember is governed by the Home Rule Act, which can only be amended by the voters. The current law has several qualifications listed including a prohibition on serving if a candidate has been convicted of a felony while holding office. Should the Council approve this Amendment, it will go to the voters to be ratified. The last time this section of the Home Rule Act was amended was in 2012, which established the expulsion process for Councilmembers, and included a prohibition on serving on the Council or as Mayor if an individual has been convicted of a felony while in office. This was at a time when there were numerous allegations of public corruption against elected officials, and the Council rightfully acted then to adjust our laws to meet the moment. However, it did not spell out consequences for expulsion. We must act again now to help restore the faith in our government institutions.
Christina Henderson Committee Member Councilmember, At-Large Facilities Chairperson, Committee on Health Human Services Transportation and the Environment

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______________________________ ______________________________ 1 Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Christina Henderson 2 3 4 ______________________________ ______________________________ 5 Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau 6 7 8 9 A BILL 10 11 12 _________ 13 14 15 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 16 17 __________________ 18 19 20 To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to disqualify a person from holding the office 21 of a member of the Council if they have previously been expelled from the Council as a 22 member of the body. 23 24 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 25 act may be cited as the “Public Service Exception Charter Amendment Act of 2025”. 26 Sec. 2. Section 402 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 27 1973 (87 Stat. 777; D.C. Official Code § 1-204.02), is amended by striking the phrase “convicted 28 of a felony while holding the office; and (5)” and inserting the phrase “convicted of a felony 29 while holding the office; (5) has not been expelled from the Council pursuant to section 401(e) in 30 the 5 years preceding the day on which the general or special election for such office is to be 31 held; and (6)” in its place. as follows: 32 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 33 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the 34

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fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 35 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 36 Sec. 4. Effective date. 37 This act shall take effect as provided in section 303 of the District of Columbia Home 38 Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 777; D.C. Official Code § 1-203.03). 39