KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to District of Columbia

B26-0674 • 2025

Strengthening Probate Administration Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Strengthening Probate Administration Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Pinto
Last action
2026-06-05
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the act applies as of May 14, 2026, but does not list a specific effective date for when it takes effect after mayoral approval.

Strengthening Probate Administration Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

This law updates rules for handling wills and estates in Washington, D.C., by changing how courts appoint representatives, where notices are published, and when earlier laws apply.

What This Bill Does

  • Updates the definition of abbreviated probate to include determining if a person died without a will (intestacy).
  • Allows the Register of Wills to send cases to court if more proof is needed about appointing representatives or admitting a will.
  • Changes rules so notices can be published in newspapers, not just legal periodicals.
  • Removes references to admitting wills through transfers by affidavit.
  • Clarifies that earlier probate laws apply only to people who died on or after March 21, 2025.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Register of Wills in the District of Columbia
  • Courts handling estate cases in Washington, D.C.
  • Personal representatives appointed for estates
  • Interested persons, creditors, and heirs involved in probate proceedings

Terms To Know

Abbreviated Probate
A court process to handle a will or decide if someone died without one.
Personal Representative
The person appointed by the Register of Wills or Court to manage an estate after someone dies.
Register of Wills
A government office in D.C. that handles wills and probate cases, sometimes referring matters to court.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law is an emergency act and expires on August 27, 2026.
  • The text does not explain how much money the changes cost or save taxpayers.
  • The specific details of what 'additional verified proof' looks like are not described in this summary.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-05 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0337 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 008202, Expires on Aug 27, 2026

  2. 2026-05-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0337, Expires on Aug 27, 2026

  3. 2026-05-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  4. 2026-05-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on May 29, 2026

  5. 2026-05-05 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2026-05-05 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2026-04-30 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0674 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Strengthening Probate Administration Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT.
D.C. ACT 26-337
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
MAY 29, 2026
To amend, on an emergency basis,Chapter3ofTitle 20of the Districtof Columbia Official
Code to amend thedefinitionof abbreviatedprobate,toauthorizetheRegisterof Willsto
referproceedingstotheCourttodetermineifoneormorepersonalrepresentatives
shouldbe appointedand thewillbe admittedtoprobate,tostrikethereferencetowill
admissionintransfersby affidavit,and toallowfornoticeof requestforformalprobate,
noticefromaforeignpersonalrepresentativeofa decedentwhoownedanyproperty
locatedintheDistrictof Columbia, and noticeof appointmenttointerestedpersons,
creditors,andunknownheirsinalegalperiodicalornewspaperofgeneralcirculationin
theDistrict;and toamend theStrengtheningProbateAmendment Actof 2024 toclarify
thattheactappliestoestatesforwhom thedecedentdiedon or afterMarch 21,2025.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmay be citedasthe“StrengtheningProbateAdministrationEmergency Amendment Act of
2026”.
Sec.2.Chapter3of Title 20of theDistrictof Columbia OfficialCode isamended as
follows:
(a) Section20-311 isamended toreadasfollows:
“ 20-311.Natureofproceeding.
“(a)An abbreviatedprobateproceedingisaproceedingforprobateofa willora
determinationof a decedent’sintestacyand fortheappointmentofa personalrepresentative.
This proceedingisinstitutedwhen an interestedpersonfilesa petitionforan abbreviatedprobate
proceedingwiththeCourtinaccordancewiththeprovisionsof§ 20-304.Thisproceedingmaybeconductedwithoutthepriornoticerequiredforformalprobateunder§ 20-323.
“(b)The finalityof abbreviatedprobateshallbe governed by § 20-331.”.
(b) Section20-312 isamended toreadasfollows:
Ҥ20-312.Actiononpetition.
“(a)General.— Uponarequestforabbreviatedprobatefiledinaccordance§20-304,the
CourtortheRegisterofWillsshallappointoneormorepersonalrepresentatives,exceptas
providedin§20-322.Theappointmentofa personalrepresentativeshallconstituteanOrderfor
1
ENROLLED ORIGINAL,
unsupervisedadministration,unlesstheOrderspecificallyprovidesforsupervisedadministration
asprovidedin§20-402.Innoevent,however,shalltheappointmentofa personalrepresentative
bedelayedpendingtheCourt’sdecisionwithregardtowhethertheadministrationwillbe
supervisedorunsupervised.
“(b)Wills.— In thecaseofa petitiontoadmita willto abbreviatedprobate,due
executionof thewillshallbe presumed and theCourtor theRegisterofWills may admita will
toprobateeither:(1)ifthewillappearstohavebeendulyexecutedandcontainsarecitalby
attestingwitnessesof factsconstitutingdue execution;or (2)upon theverifiedstatementof any
personwithpersonalknowledgeofthecircumstancesofexecution,whetherornottheperson
was infactan attestingwitness,recitingfactsshowing due executionof the will.
“(c)AdditionalProof.— TheRegisterofWillsmayrequireadditionalverifiedproof,
which shallbe filedintheproceeding.If theRegisterof Willsrequiresadditionalproof,the
mattermay be referredto theCourt todetermineif one or more personalrepresentativesshallbe
appointedandwhetherthewillshouldbeadmittedtoprobate.”.
(c)Section20-323(a)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“legalperiodicalofgeneral
circulationintheDistrict”andinsertingthephrase“legalperiodicalornewspaperofgeneral
circulationintheDistrict”initsplace.
(@)Section20-343(a)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“legalperiodicalofgeneral
circulationintheDistrict”andinsertingthephrase“iegalperiodicalornewspaperofgeneral
circulationintheDistrict”initsplace.
(©)Section20-361(a)(4)isrepealed.
(f)Section20-704(a)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“legalperiodicalofgeneral
circulationintheDistrict”andinsertingthephrase“legalperiodicalornewspaperofgeneral
circulationintheDistrict”initsplace.
Sec,3.Section7oftheStrengtheningProbateAdministrationAmendmentActof2024,effectiveMarch21,2025(D.C.Law25-302;72DCR780),isamendedbyaddinganewsubsection(4)toreadasfollows:“(@)ThisactshallapplytoestatesofdecedentswhodiedonorafterMarch21,2025.”.
Sec.4.Applicability.ThisactshallapplyasofMay14,2026.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.6.Effectivedate.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan
90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
\irman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia

APPROVED
MAY 29, 2026

COUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

DocketNo,826-0674

JITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[x1acTion FinalReading
LX]VOTEDATE May5,2026
Ux]VoicevoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT

[JROLLCALLVOTE~Resuit

ES ET TS
fen Fi ewer De ims [x— x vowsoe [X townieTecians x Winns 1Kret , vate Ixane aes ees aad
_seete 0 Se‘SecretarytotheCouncil