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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.
APRIL 18, 2026
Toamend,onanemergencybasis,theOpenMeetingsActtoclarifythedefinitionofmeeting;toprovideforapublicbody’sabilitytobebriefedaboutpotentialterroristorpublichealththreatssolongasnoofficialactionistaken,toexemptfromtheactmeetingsbetweentheCouncilandtheMayorprovidedthatnoofficialactionistakenatsuchmeetings,toprovidethatameetingshallbedeemedopentothepublicifthepublicbodytakesstepsreasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictovieworhearthemectingwhilethemeetingis
takingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologicallyfeasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable;andtoamendsection5710ofTitle3oftheDistrictofColumbiaMunicipalRegulationstofurtherclarifytheapplicabilitydateforexpandedfinancialreportingrequirementsforcertainboardsandcommissions.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“OpenMeetingsClarificationEmergencyAmendmentActof2026”.
Sec.2.TheOpenMeetingsAct,effectiveMarch31,2011(D.C.Law18-350;D.C.OfficialCode§2-571etseq.),isamendedasfollows:
(a)Section404(D.C.OfficialCode§2-574)isamendedasfollows:(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(D(A)“Meeting”meansanygatheringofaquorumofthemembersofapublicbody,includinghearingsandroundtables,whetherformalorinformal,regular,special,oremergency,atwhichthemembersconsider,conduct,oradviseonpublicbusiness,includinggatheringinformation,takingtestimony,discussing,deliberating,recommending,andvoting,regardlessofwhetherheldinperson,bytelephone,electronically,orbyothermeansof
communication.“(B)Theterm“meeting”shallnotinclude:
““@A chanceorsocialgathering;provided,thatitisnotheldtoavoidtheprovisionsofthisparagraph;or
“(ii)A pressconference.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(C)ForthepurposesoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbia,theterm“meeting”meansaregularoradditionallegislativemeeting,andcommitteemeetingswherevotesaretaken,”.
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Subparagraph(E)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;or”andinsertingasemicoloninitsplace;
(B)Subparagraph(F)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodattheendandinsertingthephrase“;or”initsplace.
(C)Anewsubparagraph(G)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(G)TheCriminalJusticeCoordinatingCouncil.”.
(b)Section405(D.C.OfficialCode§2-575)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Subsection(a)isamendedasfollows:
(A)Paragraph(2)isamendedbystrikingthephrase*;or”andinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.
(B)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“televised.”andinsertingthephrase“televised;or”initsplace.
(C)Anewparagraph(4)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(4)Thepublicbodytakesstepsreasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictovieworhearthemeetingwhilethemeetingistakingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologicallyfeasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable.”.
(2)Subsection(b)(8)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(8)Todiscussandtakeactionregardingspecificmethodsandprocedurestoprotectthepublicorapublicbodyfromexistingorpotentialterroristactivityorothersubstantial
dangerstopublichealthandsafety,ortoreceivebriefingsbystaffmembers,legalcounsel,lawenforcementofficials,oremergencyserviceofficialsconcerningthesemethodsandprocedures;provided,thatdisclosurecouldendangerthepublicorthepublicbody;”.
(3)Subsection(f)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
“(f)Notwithstandinganyprovisionofthisact,theCouncilmayadoptitsownrulesto
ensuretheDistrict’sopenmeetingspolicy,asestablishedinsection402,ismetwithrespecttogatheringsofcouncilmembers;provided,thatunlesstheCounciladoptsrulespursuanttothis,subsection,thistitleshallapplytotheCouncil.”.
(4)Anew subsection(h)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(h)ThistitleshallnotapplytoameetingbetweenmembersoftheCouncilandtheMayor;provided,thatnoofficialactionisdecidedatthemeeting.”.
(©)Section406(D.C.OfficialCode§2-576)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“Exceptforemergencymeetings,apublicbodyshallprovide”andinsertingthephrase“Apublicbodyshallattempttoprovide"initsplace,
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“Notwithstandingthenotice
requirementofparagraph(2)ofthissubsection,except”andinsertingtheword“Except”inits
place.
(3)Paragraph(4)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“urgentmatter,”andinserting
thephrase“urgentmatter,andnotwithstandingparagraphs(1)and(3)ofthissubsection,”inits
place.
(@ Section407(a)(D.C.OfficialCode§2-577(a))isamendedasfollows:
(1)Paragraph(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:
(1)Reasonablearrangementsaremadetoaccommodatethepublic’srightto
attendthemeeting,orstepsaretakenthatarereasonablycalculatedtoallowthepublictoview or
tohearthemeetingwhilethemeetingistakingplace,or,ifdoingsoisnottechnologically
feasible,assoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable;”.
(2)Paragraph(3)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“takenbyrollcall”and
insertingtheword “recorded”initsplace.
(e)Section409%(a)(D.C.OfficialCode§2-579(a))isamendedbystrikingthephrase
“Councilmeetings”andinsertingthephrase“meetingsandgatheringsofcouncilmembers”inits
place.
Sec.3.Section5710.3ofTitle 3 of theDistrictof Columbia MunicipalRegulations(3
DCMR § 5170.3)isamended to readas follows:
“5710.3.This sectionshallnotapplybeforeOctober 17,2026.”.
Sec.4.Applicability.
ThisactshallapplyasofMarch29,2026.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.6.Effectivedate,
‘ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovaloftheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffetfornolongerthan
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-204.12(a))
LheBiwe—Chairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
UNSIGNED
MayorDistrictof ColumbiaAPRIL 17, 2026
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
DocketNo,826-0632
[ ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XJACTION
FinalReading
DCVOTEDATE March31,2026
[X]VOICEVOTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST Allen,LewisGeorge,andT.White
ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE~Result
‘GounciMember [Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec[CounciiMember[Ayo[Nay[NV[AB[Rec[CounciiMember[AyeNay[NV[AB[Ree
ChairmanMendelson]X Framin x Pinto x
Allen x Henderson x White
Bonds LewisGeorge x T.wile x
Crawiord Nadeau
Feleer Parker x
X-IndicateVote ‘AB-Absent NV--Present,NotVoting Ree-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
47-2 &
DateeFretatytotheGouncll