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B26-0347 • 2025

Residential Tranquility Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Residential Tranquility Second Congressional Review 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
2025-10-10
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states this act remains effective for no longer than 90 days after approval by the Mayor (or Council override), but does not specify a calendar expiration date beyond that duration.

Residential Tranquility Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This emergency law prohibits using loudspeakers to target homes at night, leaving unattended speakers aimed at homes, and throwing objects onto residential property with the intent to scare people.

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits targeting a residence for demonstration purposes by using sound amplifying devices between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. in Residential Zones, Residential Flat Zones, or Residential Apartment Zones.
  • Bans leaving unattended sound amplifying devices that emit sound while targeting a residence for demonstration purposes in residential zones.
  • Makes it illegal to continue or resume these activities after being instructed by law enforcement officers to stop.
  • Allows the Mayor and Metropolitan Police Department to seize and impound any unattended sound amplifying devices used in violation of this rule.
  • Prohibits knowingly launching or throwing objects onto another person's residential property with the intent to cause fear, intimidate, or harass anyone living or working there.
  • Sets a specific term expiration date for Council appointments to the Corrections Information Council as December 7th.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who use sound amplifying devices near homes in residential zones.
  • Individuals living or working at residences targeted by demonstrations or thrown objects.
  • The Metropolitan Police Department and the Mayor's office regarding enforcement and seizure of equipment.
  • Council members appointed to serve on the Corrections Information Council.

Terms To Know

Sound amplifying device
Any machine, device, or loudspeaker that makes human voice, music, or other sounds louder. This does not include car audio systems heard only by people inside the vehicle.
Residential Zone
Areas defined in District of Columbia Zoning Regulations where homes are located, including Residential Zones, Residential Flat Zones, and Residential Apartment Zones.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act is an emergency measure that remains in effect for no longer than 90 days after approval.
  • The law does not specify penalties for using sound amplifying devices at night other than seizure of the device, though throwing objects carries fines or up to 90 days in jail.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0153 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 010901, Expires on Jan 01, 2026

  2. 2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  3. 2025-10-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0153, Expires on Jan 01, 2026

  4. 2025-09-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Oct 08, 2025

  5. 2025-09-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-09-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-09-16 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0347 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Residential Tranquility Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-153
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
OCTOBER 3, 2025

Toamend,onanemergencybasis,duetocongressionalreview,theResidentialTranquilityActof2010toprohibitpersonstargetingaresidenceforpurposesofdemonstrationfromusingsoundamplifyingdevicesinaresidentialzonebetween7:00p.m.and9:00a.m.,toprohibittheuseofunattendedsoundamplifyingdevicesemittingsoundwhiletargetingaresidence,andtoprohibitapersonfromlaunchingorthrowinganobjectontotheresidentialpropertyofanotherwiththeintenttocausefearto,intimidate,orharassanypersonlivingorworkingatthatresidence;andtoamendtheNationalCapitalRevitalizationandSelf-GovernmentImprovementActof1997toprovidethatthetermexpirationdateforaCouneilappointmenttotheCorrectionsInformationCouneilshallbeDecember7thoftheyearinwhichthetermexpires.
BEITENACTEDBY THECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“ResidentialTranquilitySecondCongressionalReviewEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”.
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,ortoprotestsomeaction,attitude,orbelief”andinsertingaperiodinitsplace.(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“humanbeings”andinsertingtheword“individuals”initsplace.
(3)A newparagraph(4)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“(4)“Soundamplifyingdevice”meansanymachine,device,orloudspeakerthatamplifiessoundofthehumanvoice,music,oranyothersound.Theterm“soundamplifyingdevice”shallnotincludeautomobileaudiosystemswhenusedandheardonlybytheoccupants
ofthevehicleinwhichtheautomobileaudiosystemisinstalled.”(b)Section3(D.C.OfficialCode§22-2752)isamendedbyaddingnewsubsections(a-1),(@-2),(a-3),and(a-4)toreadasfollows:
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(@-1)Itisunlawfulforapersontotargetaresidenceforpurposesofademonstrationbyusingasoundamplifyingdevicebetween7:00p.m.and9:00a.m.wherethetargetedresidenceis,infact,locatedinaResidentialZone,ResidentialFlatZone,orResidentialApartmentZone,asthosetermsandZonesaredefinedatthetimeoftheoftheconductgivingrisetotheviolationintheDistrictofColumbiaZoningRegulations.
“(@-2)Itisunlawfultoleaveanunattendedsoundamplifyingdeviceemittingsoundtotargetaresidenceforpurposesofademonstrationwherethetargetedresidenceis,infact,locatedinaResidentialZone,ResidentialFlatZone,orResidentialApartmentZone,asthosetermsandZonesaredefinedatthetimeoftheoftheconductgivingrisetotheviolationintheDistrictofColumbiaZoningRegulations.“(@-3)Itisunlawfultocontinueorresumetargetingaresidenceinviolationof
subsections(a-1)or(a-2)ofthissectionafterbeinginstructedbyalawenforcementofficertoceasetargetingaresidenceinviolationofthislaw.“(a-4)TheMayorandMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentmayseizeandimpoundanyunattendedsoundamplifyingdevicestargetingaresidenceforpurposesofa demonstrationinviolationofsubsection(2-2)ofthissection.”
(©)A newsection3aisaddedtoreadasfollows:“Sec,3a,Throwingobjectsatresidentialproperty.“(a)Itisunlawfulforanypersontoknowinglylaunchorthrowanobjectontotheresidentialpropertyofanotherwiththeintenttocausefearto,intimidate,orharassanypersonlivingorworkingatthatresidence.
“(b)A personwhoviolatesthissection,uponconviction,shallbefinednomorethantheamountsetforthinsection101oftheCriminalFineProportionalityAmendmentActof2012,effectiveJune11,2013(D.C.Law19-317;D.C,OfficialCode§22-3571.01),orincarceratedfornomorethan90days,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,effectiveApril18,2025(D.C.Law25-323;71DCR 14480),isrepealed.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.
The CounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode § 1-301.47a).
2
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
Sec,6. Effectivedate,
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobythe
Mayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan
90 days,as providedforemergency actsof theCounciloftheDistrictof Columbia insection
412(a)of the Districtof Columbia Home Rule Act,approvedDecember 24, 1973 (87 Stat.788;
D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)),
\irman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
APPROVED
OCTOBER 3, 2025

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DTACTION
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RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE~Result
‘Member
ChairmanMendels
Allen
Bonds
Felder
Frumin
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‘SecretarytotheCounc
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading,CC
‘Septomber17,2025
Approved

Henderson
LewisGeorge
MeDutie
Nadeau
Parkerae

CERTIFICATIONRECORD