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B26-0303 • 2025

Residential Tranquility Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Residential Tranquility Emergency 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
2025-07-25
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Residential Tranquility Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This act amends the Residential Tranquility Act to add new restrictions on using sound amplifying devices and throwing objects at residences in certain zones during specific hours.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a ban on using sound amplifying devices targeting residences for demonstrations between 7:00 PM and 9:00 AM in residential zones.
  • Prohibits leaving unattended sound amplifying devices that target residences for demonstrations in residential zones.
  • Makes it illegal to continue or resume targeting a residence with sound amplifying devices after being instructed by law enforcement to stop.
  • Allows the Mayor and Metropolitan Police Department to seize and impound unattended sound amplifying devices used against residences.
  • Prohibits throwing objects at residential property with intent to cause fear, intimidate, or harass anyone living or working there.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who use sound amplifying devices for demonstrations near residences in specific zones and times.
  • Individuals who throw objects onto residential properties with the intention of causing harm or distress.

Terms To Know

Residential Zone
A designated area where homes are located, as defined by zoning regulations.
Sound Amplifying Device
Any machine or device that amplifies sound, such as loudspeakers used for demonstrations.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act is effective for no longer than 90 days from approval by the Mayor.
  • It does not specify penalties beyond those set in other laws.

Bill History

  1. 2025-07-25 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0119 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 008178, Expires on Oct 19, 2025

  2. 2025-07-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  3. 2025-07-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0119, Expires on Oct 19, 2025

  4. 2025-07-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jul 24, 2025

  5. 2025-07-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-07-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-06-30 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0303 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Residential Tranquility Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT

.C.ACT 26-119
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
JULY 21, 2025
‘Toamend,onanemergencybasis,theResidentialTranquilityActof2010toprohibitpersonstargetingaresidenceforpurposesofdemonstrationfromusingsoundamplifyingdevicesinaresidentialzonebetween7:00p.m.and9:00a.m.,toprohibittheuseofunattended
soundamplifyingdevicesemittingsoundwhiletargetingaresidence,andtoprohibitapersonfromlaunchingorthrowinganobjectontotheresidentialpropertyofanotherwiththeintenttocausefearto,intimidate,orharassanypersonlivingorworkingatthatresidence;and to amend theNationalCapitalRevitaliz: and Self-Government
ImprovementActof1997toprovidethatthetermexpirationdateforaCouncilappointmenttotheCorrectionsInformationCouncilshallbeDecember7thoftheyearinwhichthetermexpires.

BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“ResidentialTranquilityEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec,2.TheResidentialTranquilityActof2010,effectiveMay26,2011(D.C.Law18-374;D.C.OfficialCode§22-2751etseq.),isamendedasfollows:{a)Section2(D.C.OfficialCode§22-2751)isamendedasfollows:(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“,forthepurposeofpersuadingoneormoreindividuals,orthepublic,o toprotestsomeaction,attitude,orbelief.”andinsertingaperiodinitsplace.(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“humanbeings”andinsertingtheword“individuals”initsplace.(3)A newparagraph(4)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“(@“Soundamplifyingdevice”meansanymachine,device,orloudspeakerthatamplifiessoundofthehumanvoice,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)Itisunlawfillforapersontotargetaresidenceforpurposesofademonstrationby
usingasoundamplifyingdevicebetween7:00p.m.and9:00a.m.wherethetargetedresidenceis,infact,locatedinaResidentialZone,ResidentialFlatZone,orResidentialApartmentZone,asthosetermsandZonesaredefinedatthetimeoftheoftheconductgivingrisetotheviolationintheDistrictofColumbiaZoningRegulations.“(a-2)Itisunlawfultoleaveanunattendedsoundamplifyingdeviceemittingsoundtotargetaresidenceforpurposesofademonstrationwherethetargetedresidenceis,infact,locatedinaResidentialZone,ResidentialFlatZone,orResidentialApartmentZone,asthosetermsandZonesaredefinedatthetimeoftheoftheconductgivingrisetotheviolationintheDistrictofColumbiaZoningRegulations.
“(@-3)Itisunlawfultocontinueorresumetargetingaresidenceinviolationofsubsections(a-1)or (a-2)ofthis sectionafterbeing instructedby a law enforcement officerto
ceasetargetingaresidenceinviolationofthislaw.“(a-4)TheMayorandMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentmayseizeandimpoundanyunattendedsoundamplifyingdevicestargetingaresidenceforpurposesofademonstrationinviolationofsubsection(a-2)ofthissection.”.
(c)A newsection3aisaddedtoreadasfollows:“Sec.3a.Throwingobjectsatresidentialproperty.
(a)Itisunlawfulforanypersontoknowinglylaunchorthrowanobjectontotheresidentialpropertyofanotherwiththeintenttocausefearto,intimidate,orharassanyperson
livingorworkingatthatresidence.
“(b)A personwhoviolatesthissection,uponconviction,shallbefinednomorethantheamountsetforthinsection101oftheCriminalFineProportionalityAmendmentActof2012,effectiveJune11,2013(D.C.Law19-317;D.C.OfficialCode§22-3571.01),orincarceratedfor
nomorethan90days,orboth.”.

Sec.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,thetermexpirationdateforaCouncilappointmenttotheCorrectionsInformationCouncilshallbeDecember7thoftheyearinwhichthetermexpires.”.
Sec.4.TheResidentialTranquilityTemporaryAmendmentActof2024,effectiveApril
18,2025(D.C.Law25-323;71DCR 14480),isrepealed.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode § 1-301.47a).
Sec.6.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a) of the Districtof Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat.788;
D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
airman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
Mayor
Districtof Columbia
APPROVED
JULY 21, 2025

[ ]ITEM ON CONSENT CALENDAR
[X]ACTION
[LX]VOTE DATE
[x]voIcevote
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[] ROLL CALL VOTE - Result
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading
ly 1,2025
Approved
Nadeau,andParker
Felder

ES a ‘Council

CouncilMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec||CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[RecCounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendel Henderson x Pinto
Allen LewisGeorge| x R.White
Bonds McDuffie x
Felder x Nadeau
Frumin x Parker
X-IndicateVote ‘AB~Absent NV-Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD = eS: ae