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B26-0558 • 2025

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Temporary Amendment Act of 2026

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Temporary Amendment Act of 2026

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Pinto
Last action
2026-03-06
Official status
Under Congressional Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the exact conditions under which the Clemency Board can grant waivers.

Temporary Change to Clemency Board's Waiver Authority

This act temporarily amends the rules for the Clemency Board, allowing it to waive a five-year waiting period requirement under specific conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends section 205 of the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018 to allow the Clemency Board to grant waivers of the five-year waiting period requirement for applicants seeking pardons upon written request.
  • Specifies that the Clemency Board can only grant a waiver if it receives notice from the Office of the Pardon Attorney or the President of the United States that they have waived the five-year requirement.
  • Gives the Clemency Board discretion to deny a waiver even when receiving such notice, and prohibits granting waivers to individuals on probation, parole, or supervised release.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Clemency Board in Washington D.C.
  • Individuals seeking pardons from the Clemency Board
  • The Office of the Pardon Attorney and the President of the United States

Terms To Know

Clemency Board
A board that reviews applications for pardons in Washington D.C.
Waiver
An official permission to be exempt from a rule or requirement

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act is temporary and will expire after 225 days of taking effect.
  • It does not specify the exact conditions under which the Clemency Board can grant waivers.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0274 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 003151

  2. 2026-03-05 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress, Projected Law Date is Jun 05, 2026

  3. 2026-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  4. 2026-03-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0274

  5. 2026-02-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Mar 10, 2026

  6. 2026-02-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2026-01-09 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0558 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  8. 2026-01-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  9. 2026-01-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  10. 2026-01-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0558 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Temporary Amendment Act of 2026

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-274
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
MARCH 2, 2026
‘Toamend,onatemporarybasis,section205oftheClemencyBoardEstablishmentActof2018
toauthorizetheClemencyBoardto,forapplicantsseekingapardon,grantawaiverofthe5-yearwaitingperiod.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“ClemencyBoardWaiverAuthorityTemporaryAmendmentActof2026”.
Sec.2.Section205oftheClemencyBoardEstablishmentActof2018,effectiveDecember13,2018(D.C.Law22-197;D.C.OfficialCode§24-481.05),isamendedbyaddinganewsubsection(f)toreadasfollows“(f)TheBoardmay,uponwrittenrequestoftheapplicant,grantawaiveroftherequirementsofsubsection(c)(1)ofthissection;provided,that“(1)TheBoardshallonlygrantawaiverunderthissubsectionwheretheBoardisinreceiptofnoticefromtheOfficeofthePardonAttomeythatthePardonAttomeyorthePresidentoftheUnitedStateshasprovidedtheapplicantwithawaiverofthe5-yearrequirementpursuantto§9-140.112oftheDepartmentofJusticeManual;“2)TheBoardmaydeclinetograntawaiverunderthissubsectionevenwhentheBoardisinreceiptofthenoticedescribedinparagraph(1)ofthissubsection;““@)TheBoardshallnotgrantawaiverunderthissubsectionwhentheapplicantisonprobation,parole,orsupervisedrelease;“(4)TheBoardmayrequestadditionalinformationfromtheapplicanttosupporttheirrequestfora waiverofsubsection(c)(1)ofthissection,whichmayincludearequesttomeetwiththeapplicanttodiscusstheirwaiverrequest;“(5)TheBoardshallprovidetheapplicantwithwrittennoticeoftheBoard'sdecisiontograntordenyawaiverrequestpursuanttothissubsection;and“(6)PriortotheBoardmakingadeterminationwhethertograntarequestforawaiverpursuanttothissubsection,theapplicant’sapplicationshallbedeferreduntiladeterminationismade.”

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OffiacialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetoby
theMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda60-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(2)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(2)).(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
airman,
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia
MayorDistrictotColumbAPPROVED
MARCH 2, 2026

DocketNo.26-0558
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

[ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[xaacrion FirstReading
(x1VOTEOATE January6,2026
(X1VOICEvoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
{]ROLLCALLVOTE ~Result
CouncMember[Aye[Nay|Nv [AB[Res[CouncMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec|CouncMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[RecChairmanMendelson]x Henderson|x R.White‘Alen x LowsGeowe| x T.White
Bonds x Nadeau x
Feder x Parker x
Frumin x Pinto x
X=IndicateVote ‘ABAbsent NV-Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
>
SecretaryotheCouncl
DocketNo.B26-0558
[X1ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[xACTION FinalReading,CC
(x1voTEDATE February3,2026
[X]VOICE VOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT Pinto
{TROLLCALLVOTE-Resut
CouncilMember Aye |Nay |NV_|AB| Rec| CouncilMember | Aye| Nay|NV | AB |Rec|CouncilMember_| Aye| Nay|NV | AB | Rec,
ChairmanMendelson]x Frumin x Pinto x
‘Alen x Henderson|x R.Wnite
Bonds x LowsGeorge|x T.White
Doni x Nadeau x
Felder x Parker x
X-InglcateVote AB~Absent NV-Present,NotVoting Rec.-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORDSQOGE= x 2-10 2&BearerotheCouncl
Date