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B26-0372 • 2025

Language Access Rulemaking Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Language Access Rulemaking Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Nadeau
Last action
2025-10-23
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation incorrectly states that the act sets an effective date of June 19, 2004. The bill amends Section 6 to apply as of this date but does not set a new effective date for itself.

Language Access Rulemaking Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This act allows the Office of Human Rights to create rules and regulations for language access in the District of Columbia.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new subsection (c) to Section 6 of the Language Access Act of 2004, giving the Mayor authority to make rules under the Administrative Procedure Act.
  • Requires these rules to implement the provisions of the Language Access Act.
  • Sets an effective date for the act as June 19, 2004.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Office of Human Rights in the District of Columbia
  • People who need language access services in the District

Terms To Know

Language Access Act
A law that provides for language assistance to people with limited English proficiency.
Administrative Procedure Act
A federal law that sets out the procedures for creating rules and regulations.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act is effective only until January 21, 2026.
  • It does not specify what language access services will be provided or how they will work.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0166, Expires on Jan 21, 2026

  2. 2025-10-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  3. 2025-10-15 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Oct 29, 2025

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

    Retained by the Council

  5. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  6. 2025-10-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0372 Introduced by Councilmember Nadeau at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Language Access Rulemaking Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-166
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OCTOBER 23, 2025
Toamend,onanemergencybasis,theLanguageAccessActof2004toauthorizetheOfficeof
HumanRightstoadoptrulesandregulationstoimplementtheprovisionsofthatact.
BEITENACTEDBY THECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthis
actmaybecitedasthe“LanguageAccessRulemakingEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.Section6of the Language Access Actof 2004, effectiveJune 19,2004 (D.C.Law
15-167;D.C. OfficialCode § 2-1935),isamended by addinga new subsection(c)toreadas
follows:
“(c)TheMayor,pursuanttoTitleIoftheDistrictofColumbiaAdministrativeProcedure
Act,approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat.1204;D.C. OfficialCode § 2-501 etseq.),shallissue
tulestoimplementtheprovisionsofthisact.”.
Sec. 3.Applicability.
ThisactshallapplyasofJune19,2004,
Sec.4.Fiscalimpactstatement.
‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a)..
Sec.5.Effectivedate.
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan

ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
airman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

DistrictbfColumbia
APPROVED
OCTOBER 23, 2025

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RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
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COUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

inalReading
October7,2025
‘Approved
Felder

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