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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 exact expiration date depends on when the Mayor approves or vetoes the bill; the source states a maximum of 90 days rather than a fixed calendar date.

Porchfest Permitting Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This law changes the Block Party Act to let residents apply for street closures when hosting free neighborhood music festivals on their property.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new definition for 'Porchfest' as a distributed neighborhood music festival where musicians perform on private or abutting public space without charging fees.
  • Allows District residents to submit block party applications to close streets specifically for Porchfest events.
  • Requires the Department of Transportation not to deny an application just because it is part of a Porchfest or similar festival happening on that date.

Who It Names or Affects

  • District residents who host musical performances as part of a distributed neighborhood music festival
  • The District department responsible for approving block party permits

Terms To Know

Porchfest
A distributed neighborhood music festival where musicians perform on a resident's private property, such as their porch or yard, or any abutting public property, and no fee is charged to participants or attendees.
Block Party Permit
An official application used by residents to request that a street be closed for an event like a Porchfest.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act is temporary and remains in effect for no longer than 90 days after approval.
  • The text does not specify the detailed application process or fees beyond stating that attendees cannot be charged at a Porchfest.

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