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B26-0502 • 2025

Porchfest Permitting Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Porchfest Permitting Temporary 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
2026-03-20
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official metadata lists an effective date of March 6, 2026, while the bill text excerpt mentions a standard 30-day congressional review period; the exact start date depends on when these conditions are met.

Porchfest Permitting Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This law temporarily allows District residents to apply for block party permits specifically to close streets for hosting musical performances as part of a Porchfest event.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds the definition of 'Porchfest' to the Block Party Act of 2012.
  • Allows District residents to submit an application requesting that a street where they live be closed for holding a Porchfest.
  • States it is District policy to approve block parties, including those designated as Porchfests.

Who It Names or Affects

  • District residents who want to host musical performances on their property or abutting public space as part of a Porchfest.
  • Musicians performing at these neighborhood music festivals without charging fees.

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 Act of 2012
The existing District law that sets rules for closing streets and holding community events like block parties.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This amendment is temporary and expires after 225 days from the date it takes effect.
  • The text does not specify which agency processes these applications or how long approval might take.
  • The law requires a street closure request but does not list specific safety requirements for Porchfest events.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-20 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0099, Effective from Mar 06, 2026 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 004485, Expires on Oct 17, 2026

  2. 2026-01-22 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  3. 2026-01-16 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0243 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 000448

  4. 2026-01-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0243

  5. 2026-01-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  6. 2025-12-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jan 13, 2026

  7. 2025-12-16 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-12-12 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0502 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  9. 2025-12-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  10. 2025-12-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  11. 2025-12-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0502 Introduced by Councilmember Lewis George at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Porchfest Permitting Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-243
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
JANUARY 14,2026
Toamend,onatemporarybasis,theBlockPartyActof2012toenableresidentshostingamusicalperformanceontheirpropertyaspartofa porchfesttoapplyforblockpartypermits.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmaybecitedasthe“PorchfestPermittingTemporaryAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.TheBlockPartyActof2012,effectiveOctober23,2012(D.C.Law19-190;D.C.OfficialCode§9-631etseg.),isamendedasfollows:(a)Section2 (D.C.OfficialCode§9-631)isamendedbyaddinganewparagraph(5)to
readasfollows:
“(5)“Porchfest”meansadistributedneighborhoodmusicfestivalwheremusiciansperformonaresident’sprivateproperty,suchastheirporchoryard,oranyabuttingpublicproperty,andnofeeischargedtoparticipantsorattendees.”.
(b)Section3(D.C.OfficialCode§9-632)isamendedbyaddinganewsubsection(b-1)toreadas follows:
“(b+l)A Districtresidentmaysubmitablockpartyapplicationrequestingthatastreetonwhichtheyresidebeclosedforthepurposeofholdingaporchfest.
(©)Section5(a)(D.C.OfficialCode§9-634(a))isamendedtoreadasfollows:(a)ItisthepolicyoftheDistricttoapproveblockparties,includingporchfests.”.

Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL,
(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1)).
(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
VC
Chairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
UNSIGNED
Mayor
Districtof Columbia
JANUARY 12, 2026

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FirstReading
December2,2025

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[X] VOICE VOTE Approved
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