Back to District of Columbia

B26-0395 • 2025

Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Extension Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Extension Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Henderson
Last action
2026-01-23
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official metadata lists conflicting Act numbers (A26-0195 vs B26-0395) and effective date ranges; the text confirms a 225-day expiration but does not explicitly state the final start date in the excerpt provided.

Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Extension Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This temporary law allows certain retail stores and restaurants in Washington, D.C., to refuse cash payments if they post a clear notice.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends section 28-5404 of the District of Columbia Official Code on a temporary basis.
  • Allows retail establishments with a valid on-premises Class C or Class D retailer license to refuse cash as payment.
  • Permits restaurants that operate 24 hours a day, or open at least two days a week after 3:00 a.m., to refuse cash.
  • Requires these businesses to display written, conspicuous notice on their door or menu stating they do not accept cash.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Retail establishments holding valid on-premises Class C or Class D retailer licenses in Washington, D.C.
  • Restaurants defined under section 25-101(43) that operate 24 hours a day.
  • Restaurants that open at least two days per week after 3:00 a.m.

Terms To Know

Class C or Class D retailer license
A specific type of on-premises permit required for certain retail businesses to operate in Washington, D.C.
Conspicuous notice
A clear and visible written sign displayed on the door or menu that customers can easily see before entering or ordering.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law expires automatically after 225 days from the date it takes effect.
  • The text does not specify penalties for businesses that fail to display the required notice.
  • The exact start date depends on approval by the Mayor and a 30-day congressional review period.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0077, Effective from Dec 31, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 000610, Expires on Aug 13, 2026

  2. 2025-11-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0195 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 012880

  3. 2025-11-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  4. 2025-11-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0195

  5. 2025-11-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  6. 2025-10-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Nov 12, 2025

  7. 2025-10-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-10-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0395 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  9. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

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

    Legislative Meeting

  11. 2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0395 Introduced by Councilmember Henderson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Extension Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-195 !
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
NOVEMBER 10,2025
To amend, on a temporarybasis,section28-5404of theDistrictof Columbia OfficialCode to
allowretailestablishmentswith a validon-premisesClassC orClassD retailerlicense
andcertainrestaurantstorefusecashasaformof payment,
BEITENACTEDBY THECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“EntertainmentEstablishmentEmployeeSafetyExtensionTemporaryAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.Section28-5404oftheDistrictofColumbiaOfficialCodeisamendedasfollows:(a)Paragraph(3)(C)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;or”andinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.(b)Paragraph(4)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandinsertingthephrase“ or”initsplace,(©)A newparagraph(5)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“()Providedthatwritten,conspicuousnoticetothepublicisdisplayedonthedooroftheestablishmentormenuthatcashpaymentsarenotaccepted,to:“(A)A retailestablishmentwithavalidon-premisesClassC orClassDretailerlicense;or “(B)A restaurantlocation,asthattermisdefinedin§25-101(43),thatoperates:
“(i)Twenty-fourhoursaday;or“(il)At3:00amatleast2daysaweek.”.
Sec.3.Applicability.ThisactshallapplyasofOctober18,2025.
Sec4.Fiscalimpactstatement.
‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October 16,2006 (120Stat.2038;D.C. OfficialCode§ 1-301.47a).
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
The Counciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementof theBudget Directorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredby section4aof theGeneralLegislativeProceduresAct of 1975,approved
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode § 1-301.47a).
Sec.5.Effectivedate.
(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetoby
theMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(L)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C,OfficialCode§ 1-206.02(¢)(1)).
(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
airman
CounciloftheDistrictof Columbia
Mayor
DistrictofCqlumbiaAPPROVED
NOVEMBER 10, 2025
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DG,20004

‘DocketNo,826-0305
[ ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR,

[QACTION FirstReading
(VOTE DATE October7,2025
[x]VOICEVOTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE-Result

SiMeriter| [Nay[NVUTABI2s|CouncMembee
CainanMendelson,x Henderson
Alon x LewisGeorge
Bonds x MeDute
Feller x
Frain x
[X-IndieateVote im
CERTIFICATIONRECORD 1O°3>>- 9K
SecroiarytoTheCounc Date
DocketNo.226.039
[X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XTACTION FinalReading,CC
[XIVOTEDATE October2,2025
(xivoicevore ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
TROLLCALLVOTE~Resut
coundlMember"| Ave|Nay CouncilMember|Ave|Nay[NW[ABRec ay
ChairmanMendeison Henderson
‘len LewisGeorge
Bonds
Fler
Frumin ; a _
oe TereseNotvoting oa

Parca ie
Q CERTIFICATIONRECORD
‘Secretarytothe Council