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B26-0501 • 2025

Porchfest Permitting Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Porchfest Permitting Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Lewis George
Last action
2026-01-02
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide additional details beyond what is already stated in the candidate explanation.

Porchfest Permitting Emergency Act

This act amends the Block Party Act of 2012 to allow residents to apply for block party permits to host musical performances on their property as part of a Porchfest or similar distributed music festival.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines 'Porchfest' in the Block Party Act, which is a neighborhood music festival where musicians perform on private properties such as porches or yards without charging fees.
  • Adds a new section to allow District residents to request block party permits for closing streets to host Porchfests.
  • Changes policy so that the Department of Parks and Recreation cannot deny block party applications if they are part of a Porchfest or similar distributed neighborhood festival.

Who It Names or Affects

  • District of Columbia residents who want to organize musical events on their property as part of a Porchfest.
  • The District government, specifically the Department of Parks and Recreation, which will process permit applications for these events.

Terms To Know

Porchfest
A neighborhood music festival where musicians perform on private properties such as porches or yards without charging fees to participants or attendees.
Block Party Act of 2012
The law that regulates block parties and street closures in the District of Columbia, which this act amends to include Porchfest events.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act is effective for no longer than 90 days from approval by the Mayor or Council action if vetoed.
  • The act expires on March 30, 2026, unless extended or replaced with a permanent law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0236 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 000066, Expires on Mar 30, 2026

  2. 2025-12-30 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0236, Expires on Mar 30, 2026

  3. 2025-12-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  4. 2025-12-12 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Dec 29, 2025

  5. 2025-12-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-12-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-12-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0501 Introduced by Councilmember Lewis George at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Porchfest Permitting Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-236
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
DECEMBER 30, 2025
Toamend,onanemergencybasis,theBlockPartyActof2012toenableresidentshostinga
musicalperformanceon theirpropertyas partofa Porchfestor otherdistributedmusical
festivaltoapplyforblockpartypermits.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“PorchfestPermittingEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec,2.The Block PartyAct of 2012, effectiveOctober 23,2012 (D.C, Law 19-190,D.C.
OfficialCode§9-631efseq.),isamendedasfollows:
(a)Section2(D.C.OfficialCode§9-631)isamendedbyaddinganewparagraph(5)to
readas follows:
“(5)“Porchfest”means a distributedneighborhoodmusic festivalwhere
musiciansperformon a resident’sprivateproperty,suchastheirporchoryard,oranyabutting
publicproperty,andnofeeischargedtoparticipantsorattendees.”.
(b)Section3(D.C.OfficialCode§9-632)isamendedbyaddinganewsubsection(b-1)
toreadas follows:
“(b-1)A Districtresidentmaysubmitablockpartyapplicationrequestingthatastreeton
whichtheyresidebeclosedforthepurposeofholdingaporchfest.”.
(c)Section5(a)(D.C.OfficialCode§9-634(a))isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(a)ItisthepolicyoftheDistricttoapproveblockparties.TheDepartmentshallnot
deny a blockpartyapplicationbecauseitispartofa porchfestorotherdistributedneighborhood
festivaloccurringonthesamedate.”,
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
The Counciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementof theBudget Directorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode§ 1-301.47a).
1

ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
Sec.4, Effectivedate.
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
airman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
UNSIGNED
Mayor
Districtof Columbia
December 19, 2025

[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XTACTION
[XaVOTEDATE
DaVoicevoTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE~Result
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading
December2,2025
‘Approved
MeDutfie

‘SecretarytotheCouncil
[CouncitMember__|Aye|Nay[Nv[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye|Nay|NV[AB|Rec|CounciMember|Aye|Nay|Nv[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson)X Henderson x Pinto x
Allen x LewisGeorge__|x R.White x
Bonds x McDuffie x White x
Felder x: Nadeau
Frumin x Parker
X-IndicateVote AB ~Absent NV--Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD