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B26-0632 • 2025

Open Meetings Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Open Meetings Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Mendelson
Last action
2026-04-24
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the act applies as of March 29, 2026, but takes effect following Mayor approval or veto override.

Open Meetings Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

This emergency law clarifies what counts as a public meeting, allows private briefings on safety threats if no action is taken, exempts certain meetings between the Council and Mayor from open rules, adds new groups to coverage, updates how meetings are broadcast, and sets an effective date for financial reporting.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies that a 'meeting' includes any gathering of enough members (a quorum) where they discuss or decide on public business, whether in person or online.
  • Excludes chance social gatherings held to avoid the law and press conferences from the definition of a meeting.
  • Defines meetings for the Council specifically as regular legislative sessions, additional legislative sessions, and committee meetings where votes are taken.
  • Allows public bodies to hold private discussions about protecting against terrorist activity or health dangers if disclosing information could endanger safety, provided no official action is taken.
  • Exempts meetings between Council members and the Mayor from open meeting rules as long as no official decisions are made at those gatherings.
  • Requires public bodies to take steps reasonably calculated to allow the public to view or hear a meeting while it happens, or soon after if live viewing is not technologically feasible.
  • Adds the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to the list of groups covered by open meeting rules.
  • Sets October 17, 2026, as the date when expanded financial reporting requirements for certain boards and commissions begin.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public bodies in the District of Columbia
  • The Council of the District of Columbia
  • The Mayor of the District of Columbia
  • Boards and commissions subject to expanded financial reporting

Terms To Know

Quorum
The minimum number of members required to be present for a public body to conduct official business.
Official action
Decisions, votes, or formal recommendations made by the group during a meeting.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law is an emergency act and will expire no later than July 17, 2026.
  • The Council may create its own rules for open meetings if it chooses to do so under this law; otherwise, the standard title applies.
  • Private briefings on safety threats are only allowed if disclosing the information could endanger public or body safety.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0297 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 006260, Expires on Jul 17, 2026

  2. 2026-04-18 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0297, Expires on Jul 17, 2026

  3. 2026-04-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  4. 2026-04-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Apr 17, 2026

  5. 2026-03-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2026-03-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2026-03-30 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0632 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Open Meetings Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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