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B26-0307 • 2025

Open Meetings Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Open Meetings Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

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 candidate explanation included details about viewing and hearing meetings which were not explicitly supported by the official source material.

Open Meetings Clarification Act

This act clarifies the definition of a meeting under the Open Meetings Act and allows certain briefings without public disclosure if it could endanger people's safety.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies what counts as a 'meeting' for government bodies in Washington, D.C., to include any gathering where official business is discussed.
  • Allows government officials to have private meetings about potential threats like terrorism or public health issues without making them open to the public if it could endanger people's safety.
  • Exempts meetings between the Council and Mayor from being considered 'meetings' under this act, as long as no decisions are made during these meetings.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Government officials in Washington, D.C., including members of the Council and Mayor's office.
  • Public bodies like committees and councils who have to follow rules about open meetings.

Terms To Know

Open Meetings Act
A law that requires government meetings to be public so citizens can see what is being discussed and decided.
Quorum
The minimum number of members who must be present for a meeting to be official and valid.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act only applies in Washington, D.C. and does not affect other places.
  • It is an emergency measure that will expire on October 20, 2025, unless further action is taken.
  • The exact impact of the changes to how meetings are defined and handled may vary depending on how government bodies interpret and apply these rules.

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