Community Service Debt Repayment Program Amendment Act of 2026

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_______________________________ _______________________________ 1
Chairman Phil Mendelson Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. 2
A BILL 3
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 6
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To amend the Traffic and Parking Ticket Penalty Amendment Act of 2018 and the District of 8
Columbia Traffic Adjudication Act of 1978 to require the Mayor to establish a Community 9
Service Debt Repayment Program to allow residents to perform community service in 10
order to repay debts related to certain unpaid notices of infraction. 11
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 13
act may be cited as the “Community Service Debt Repayment Program Amendment Act of 2026”. 14
Sec. 2. Section 2(i) of the Traffic and Parking Ticket Penalty Amendment Act of 2018, 15
effective October 30, 2018 (D.C. Law 22-175; D.C. Official Code § 50-2303.21) is revived as of 16
the effective date of this act and amended to read as follows: 17
“Sec. 321. Community Service Debt Repayment Program. 18
“(a) For the purposes of this section, the term: 19
“(1) “Gross income” shall have the same meaning as provided in section 505(3) 20
of the District of Columbia Public Assistance Act of 1982, effective April 6, 1982 (D.C. Law 4- 21
101; D.C. Official Code § 4-205.05(3)). 22
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“(2) “Low-income resident” means a District resident with a gross income at or 23
below 250% of the federal poverty level. 24
“(3) “Program” means the Community Service Debt Repayment Program 25
established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. 26
“(b) The Mayor shall establish a Community Service Debt Repayment Program to reduce 27
the amount of civil fines or penalties owed by low-income residents resulting from the issuance 28
of: 29
“(1) Those notices of infraction that would be processed and adjudicated pursuant 30
to the provisions of Title II that were detected by an automated traffic enforcement system 31
pursuant to section 901 of the Fiscal Year 1997 Budget Support Act of 1996, effective April 9, 32
1997 (D.C. Law 11-198; D.C. Official Code § 50-2209.01); or 33
“(2) Notices of infraction that would be processed and adjudicated pursuant to the 34
provisions of Title III. 35
“(c)(1) Under the Program, a low-income resident may, pursuant to rules issued by the 36
Mayor, for each hour of community service performed, reduce the amount he or she owes by an 37
amount equivalent to the minimum hourly wage described in section 4(a)(5) of the Minimum 38
Wage Act Revision Act of 1992, effective March 25, 1993 (D.C. Law 9-248; D.C. Official Code 39
§ 32-1003(a)(5)). 40
“(2) The Mayor shall not impose on a low-income resident who participates in the 41
Program any enrollment fee nor any other additional fees associated with participation in the 42
Program. 43
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“(3) A low-income resident may choose to reduce any portion of the amount the 44
low-income resident owes through participation in the Program, and participation in the Program 45
shall not be predicated on a commitment by a low-income resident to reduce any specified 46
amount owed. 47
“(d) The Mayor, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure 48
Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), shall issue 49
rules to implement the provisions of this section.”. 50
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 51
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 52
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 53
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 54
Sec. 4. Effective date. 55
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 56
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review 57
as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 58
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 59