KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to District of Columbia

B26-0307 • 2025

Open Meetings Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Open Meetings Clarification Congressional Review 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
2025-07-22
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is listed as July 5, 2025, but the official status notes it expires on October 20, 2025.

Open Meetings Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This emergency law updates the District's Open Meetings Act to clarify what counts as a meeting, allow private briefings on safety threats if no action is taken, and exempt certain meetings between Council members and the Mayor.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies that 'meeting' includes any gathering of enough public body members where they discuss or decide on business, whether in person or online.
  • Excludes chance social gatherings from the definition of a meeting unless held to avoid open rules.
  • Allows public bodies to hold private briefings about terrorist threats or public health dangers if no official action is taken during those sessions and disclosure could endanger safety.
  • Removes the requirement for meetings between Council members and the Mayor to be open, as long as they do not decide on any official actions there.
  • Requires public bodies to take steps so people can view or hear a meeting while it happens, or soon after if technology does not allow live viewing.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public bodies in the District of Columbia
  • Members of the Council of the District of Columbia
  • The Mayor of the District of Columbia

Terms To Know

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

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law is an emergency measure and will expire on October 20, 2025.
  • The Council may create its own rules for open meetings if it chooses to do so under this act.

Bill History

  1. 2025-07-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0110, Expires on Oct 20, 2025

  2. 2025-07-18 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0110 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 008018, Expires on Oct 20, 2025

  3. 2025-07-15 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

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

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jul 21, 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

    B26-0307 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Open Meetings Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL

TN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
JULY 22, 2025
‘Toamend,onanemergencybasis,duetocongressionalreview,theOpenMeetingsActtoclarifythedefinitionofmeeting,toprovidefora publicbody’sabilitytobebriefedabout
potentialterroristorpublichealththreatssolongasnoofficialactionistaken,toexempt
fromtheactmeetingsbetweentheCouncilandtheMayorprovidedthatnoofficialactionistakenatsuchmeetings,andtoprovidethatameetingshallbedeemedopentothe
publicifthepublicbodytakesstepsreasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictoviewor
hearthemeetingwhilethemeetingistakingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologically
feasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmaybecitedasthe“OpenMeetingsClarificationCongressionalReviewEmergency
AmendmentActof2025”.
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”meansanygatheringofaquorumofthemembersofa publicbody,includinghearingsandroundtables,whetherformalorinformal,regular,special,or
emergency,atwhichthemembersconsider,conduct,oradviseonpublicbusiness,including
gatheringinformation,takingtestimony,discussing,deliberating,recommending,andvoting,regardlessofwhetherheldinperson,bytelephone,electronically,orbyothermeansof
communication,“(B)Theterm“meeting”shallnotinclude:i)A chanceorsocialgathering;provided,thatitisnotheldtoavoidtheprovisionsofthisparagraph;or“Gi)A pressconference.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(C) For thepurposesof theCouncilofthe Districtof Columbia,theterm
“meeting”meansaregularoradditionallegislativemeeting,andcommitteemeetingswhere
votesaretaken.”.
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Subparagraph(E)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;or”and
insertingasemicoloninitsplace.(B)Subparagraph(F)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodattheendand
insertingthephrase“;or”initsplace.
(C)A newsubparagraph(G)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(G)TheCriminalJusticeCoordinatingCouncil.”.
(b)Section405 (D.C.OfficialCode § 2-575)isamended as follows:
(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)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(8)Todiscussandtakeactionregardingspecificmethodsandproceduresto
protectthepublicorapublicbodyfromexistingorpotentialterroristactivityorothersubstantial
dangerstopublichealthandsafety,ortoreceivebriefingsbystaffmembers,legalcounsel,law
enforcementofficials,oremergencyserviceofficialsconcerningthesemethodsandprocedures;
provided,thatdisclosurecouldendangerthepublicorthepublicbody;”.
(3)Subsection(f)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(t)Notwithstandinganyprovisionofthisact,theCouncilmayadoptitsownrulesto
ensuretheDistrict’sopen meetingspolicy,as establishedinsection402,ismet with respectto
gatheringsofcouncilmembers;provided,thatunlesstheCounciladoptsrulespursuanttothis
subsection,thistitleshallapplytotheCouncil.”.
(4)A newsubsection(h)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(h)ThistitleshallnotapplytoameetingbetweenmembersoftheCouncilandthe
Mayor;provided,thatnoofficialactionisdecidedatthemeeting.”.
(c)Section406 (D.C.OfficialCode § 2-576)isamended as follows:
(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“Exceptforemergency
meetings,apublicbodyshallprovide”andinsertingthephrase“Apublicbodyshallattemptto
provide”initsplace.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“Notwithstandingthenotice
requirementofparagraph(2)ofthissubsection,except”andinsertingtheword“Except”inits
place.
(3)Paragraph(4)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“urgentmatter,”andinserting
thephrase“urgentmatter,and notwithstandingparagraphs(1)and (3)of thissubsection,”inits
place.
(d)Section407(a)(D.C.OfficialCode § 2-577(a))isamended as follows:
(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
(1)Reasonablearrangementsaremadetoaccommodatethepublic’srightto
attendthemeetingorstepsaretakenthatarereasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictoviewor
tohearthemeetingwhilethemeetingistakingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologically
feasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable;”.
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“takenbyrollcall”and
insertingtheword“recorded”initsplace.
(e)Section409(a)(D.C.OfficialCode§2-579(a))isamendedbystrikingthephrase
“Councilmeetings”andinsertingthephrase“meetingsandgatheringsof councilmembers”inits
place.
Sec.3.Applicability.ThisactshallapplyasofJuly5,2025.
Sec.4,Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a)..
Sec.5.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
412(a) of the Districtof Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat.788;
D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-204.12(a)).
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
UNSIGNED
Mayor
DistrictofColumbiaSULY 11,2025

[ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
COUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

IXIACTION FinaReading
[x]VOTEDATE uly4,2028
[xVOICEvoTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE- Result
[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 White x
Bonds x McDuffiex
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X--IndicateVote ABAbsont NV-Present,NotVoting RecRecused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD 74-37‘SecretarytotheCouncil Date