Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT.
D.C. ACT 26-282
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
MARCH 23, 2026
Toamend,onanemergencybasis,section3004oftheBody-WornCameraRegulationandReportingRequirementsActof2015andChapter39ofTitle24oftheDistrictofColumbiaMunicipalRegulationstorequirethereleaseofbody-worncamerarecordings
ofMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentOfficerspresentintheeventofanofficer-involveddeathorserioususeofforcebyalawenforcementofficerotherthanaMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficer.
BEITENACTEDBY THECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“Body-WornCameraTransparencyforUseofForceEmergencyAmendment Act of 2026”.
Sec.2.Section3004oftheBody-WornCameraRegulationandReportingRequirementsActof2015,effectiveOctober22,2015(D.C.Law21-36;D.C.OfficialCode§5-116.33),isamendedasfollows:
(a)Subsection(c)(2)(A)isamendedasfollows:(1)Sub-subparagraph(i)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Sub-sub-subparagraph(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(D)Thenamesandbody-worncamerarecordingsofallMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficers,aswellasthenames,asavailable,ofallotherlawenforcementofficers,directlyinvolvedintheofficer-involveddeathorserioususeofforce;and”. (B)Sub-sub-subparagraph(I1)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.(2)A newsub-subparagraph(i-D)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(-1)Notwithstandingsub-subparagraph(i)ofthissubparagraph,forincidentsoccurringbetweenAugust1,2025,andtheeffectivedateoftheBody-Worn
CameraTransparencyforUseofForceEmergencyAmendmentActof2026,passedonemergencybasisonMarch3,2026(EnrolledversionofBill26-616)(“Body-WornCamera‘TransparencyEmergencyAct”),within10businessdaysaftertheeffectivedateoftheBody-WornCameraTransparencyEmergencyAct,publiclyrelease:
“()Thenamesandbody-worncamerarecordingsofallMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficers,aswellasthenames,asavailable,ofallotherlaw
enforcementofficers,directlyinvolvedintheofficer-involveddeathorserioususeofforce;and“(I1)A descriptionoftheincident;and”.(3)Sub-subparagraph(ii)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingthephrase“;provided,thatforallofficer-involveddeathssinceAugust1,2025,theinformation
reportedpursuanttothissub-subparagraphshallincludethenamesofallMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficersaswellasotherlawenforcementofficersdirectlyinvolvedintheofficer-involveddeath;and”initsplace.(b)Subsection(¢)(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(e)(1)Foranyincidentinvolvinganofficer-involveddeathdirectlyinvolvinganMPDofficerorserioususeofforcedirectlyinvolvinganMPD officer,MPD officersshallnotreviewanybody-worncamerarecordingstoassistininitialreportwriting;provided,thatMPD officersmayreviewbody-worncamerarecordingstoassistininitialreportwritingforincidentsinvolvinganofficer-involveddeathdirectlyinvolvingalawenforcementofficerotherthananMPD officerorserioususeofforcedirectlyinvolvingalawenforcementofficerotherthanan
MPD officerpriortotheeffectivedateoftheBody-WornCameraTransparencyEmergencyAct.”,
(©)Subsection(g)isamendedasfollows:(1)Newparagraphs(1A)and(1B)areaddedtoreadasfollows:“(1A)“Lawenforcementofficer”meansanyofficer,agent,oremployeeoftheUnitedStatesoranystateorlocalgovernmentauthorizedbylaworbyagovernmentagencyto
engageinorsupervisetheprevention,detection,orinvestigationofanyviolationofcriminalorcivillaw. “(1B)“MPD”meanstheMetropolitanPoliceDepartment.”.(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Subparagraph(A)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“MetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficer”andinsertingthephrase“MPDofficer,oranyotherlawenforcementofficerwhileanMPD officerispresent”initsplace.(B)Subparagraph(B)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“MetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficer”andinsertingthephrase“MPDofficer,oranyotherlawenforcementofficerwhileanMPD officerispresent”initsplace.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(C)Thelead-inlanguageofsubparagraph(C)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“MetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficer”andinsertingthephrase“MPDofficer,oranyotherlawenforcementofficerwhileanMPD officerispresent”initsplace.(D)Subparagraph(D)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“MetropolitanPoliceDepartmentcanine”andinsertingthephrase“MPDcanine,orcanineofanyotherlawenforcementofficerwhileanMPD officerispresent”initsplace.
Sec.3.Chapter39ofTitle24oftheDistrictofColumbiaMunicipalRegulationsis
amendedasfollows:(a)Section3900isamendedasfollows:(1)Subsection3900.9isamendedtoreadasfollows:*3900.9.(a)Foranyincidentinvolvinganofficer-involveddeathdirectlyinvolvinganMPD memberoraserioususeofforcedirectlyinvolvinganMPD member,MPD membersshall
notreviewanyBWC recordingstoassistininitialreportwriting;provided,thatMPD membersmayreviewbody-worcamerarecordingstoassistininitialreportwritingforincidentsinvolvinganofficer-involveddeathdirectlyinvolvingalawenforcementofficerotherthanan
MPD memberorserioususeofforcedirectlyinvolvingalawenforcementofficerotherthananMPD memberpriortotheeffectivedateoftheBody-WornCameraTransparencyforUseofForceEmergencyAmendmentActof2026,passedonemergencybasisonMarch3,2026(EnrolledversionofBill26-616).“(b)Foranincidentotherthanthosedescribedinparagraph(a)ofthissubsection,membersshallindicate,whenwritingany initialorsubsequentreports,whetherthemember
viewedBWC footagepriortowritingthereportandspecifywhatBWC footagethememberviewed.”,
(2)Subsection3900.10(a)(1)isamendedasfollows:(A)Sub-subparagraph(A)isamendedasfollows:(i)Sub-sub-subparagraph(i)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(i)Thenamesandbody-worncamerarecordingsofallMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficers,aswellasthenames,asavailable,ofallotherlaw
enforcementofficers,directlyinvolvedintheofficer-involveddeathorserioususeofforce;and”.
(i)Sub-sub-subparagraph(ji)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.
(B)A newsub-subparagraph(Aci)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(A-i)Notwithstandingsub-subparagraph(A)ofthissubparagraph,for
incidentsoccurringbetween August 1,2025,and theeffectivedateof theBody-Worn Camera
‘TransparencyforUseofForceEmergencyAmendmentActof2026,passedonemergencybasis
on March 3,2026 (Enrolledversionof Bill 26-616),within10 businessdays afiertheeffective
dateoftheBody-WornCameraTransparencyforUseofForceEmergencyAmendmentActof
2026, passedon emergency basison March 3,2026 (Enrolledversionof Bill 26-616),publicly
release:
“(i)Thenamesandbody-worncamerarecordingsofall
MetropolitanPoliceDepartment officers,as wellas thenames, as available,of allotherlaw
enforcementofficers,directlyinvolvedintheofficer-involveddeathor serioususe of force;and
“Gi)A descriptionof theincident;and”.
(C)Sub-subparagraph(B)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”and
insertingthephrase“;provided,thatforallofficer-involveddeathssinceAugust 1,2025, the
informationreportedpursuanttothissub-subparagraphshallincludethenamesofall
MetropolitanPoliceDepartmentofficersaswellasotherlawenforcementofficersdirectly
involvedintheofficer-involveddeath;and” initsplace.
(b)Section3999.1 isamended by addinga new definitionbetween thedefinitionsof
“FOIA” and “Metadata”to readas follows:
“Law enforcementofficer”-meansanyofficer,agent,oremployeeoftheUnitedStates
or any stateor localgovernment authorizedby law or by a government agency toengage inor
supervisetheprevention,detection,or investigationof any violationof criminalor civillaw.”.
Sec.4.Applicability.ThisactshallapplyasofAugust1,2025.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038:D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.6.Effectivedate.
This actshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalby the Mayor (orintheeventof vetoby the
Mayor, actionby theCounciltooverridetheveto),and shallremain ineffectforno longerthan
90 days,as providedforemergency actsof theCouncilof theDistrictof Columbia insection
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C. OfficialCode § 1-204.12(a)).
am,
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
APPROVED
March 23,2026
DocketNo.826-06:
COUNCILOFTHE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
IITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[x1AcTION FinalReading
[x1voTEDATE March3,2026,
Dxvoicevore ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE~Result
CouncilMember Aye |Nay |NV_|AB |Rec |CouncilMember | Aye| Nay|NV_|AB | Rec| CouncilMember | Aye| Nay |NV | AB | Rec
ChaiemanMendelson]X Frumin x Pinto
‘Alen x Henderson| X R.White
Bonds x LewisGeorge| x T.White
Crawford x Nadeau x
Felder x Parker x
X-IndicateVote AB Absent NV--Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
Biv rte
‘SecretarytotheCouncil Date