B26-0695 • 2025

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Pinto
Last action: 2026-06-02
Official status: Withdrawn
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official digest text lists the status as 'Withdrawn,' while metadata indicates it was 'Retained by the Council.' The bill's final legal effect is uncertain based on these conflicting statuses.

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

This bill allows the D.C. Clemency Board to waive a five-year waiting period for pardon applicants if they have already received a waiver from federal officials.

What This Bill Does

Amends section 205 of the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018 on an emergency basis due to congressional review.
Allows the Clemency Board to grant waivers for the five-year waiting period required before applying for a pardon upon written request by the applicant.
Requires that the Office of the Pardon Attorney or the President has already waived this federal requirement before the Board can act.
Prohibits the Board from granting these waivers if an applicant is currently on probation, parole, or supervised release.
Allows the Board to request additional information or meet with applicants regarding their waiver requests.
Requires the Board to provide written notice of its decision to grant or deny a waiver request.
Defers the processing of an application until the Board makes a determination on the waiver request.

Who It Names or Affects

People in Washington, D.C. who are applying for a pardon from the Clemency Board and seek to skip the five-year wait.
The District of Columbia Clemency Board members and staff responsible for reviewing these requests.
Applicants currently on probation, parole, or supervised release, as they are ineligible for this waiver.

Terms To Know

Clemency Board: A group in Washington, D.C. that reviews requests for pardons and other relief from criminal penalties.
Waiver: Official permission to skip a rule or requirement, such as waiting five years before applying.
Pardon Attorney: A federal official in the Department of Justice who handles pardon requests for the President and can waive certain requirements.

Limits and Unknowns

The Board may decline to grant a waiver even if it receives notice that federal officials have waived the requirement.
This act remains in effect for no longer than 90 days after approval by the Mayor or an override of a veto.

Bill History

2026-06-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Retained by the Council
2026-06-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
Withdrawn
2026-05-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS
B26-0695 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

1

__________________________
Councilmember Brooke Pinto

AN ACT

_________________________

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

_________________________

To amend, on an emergency basis, due to congressional review, section 205 of the Clemency 1
Board Establishment Act of 2018 to authorize the Clemency Board to, for applicants 2
seeking a pardon, grant a waiver of the 5-year waiting period. 3
4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 5
act may be cited as the “Clemency Board Waiver Authority Second Congressional Review 6
Emergency Amendment Act of 2026”. 7
8
Sec. 2. Section 205 of the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018, effective 9
December 13, 2018 (D.C. Law 22-197; D.C. Official Code § 24-481.05), is amended by adding a 10
new subsection (f) to read as follows: 11
“(f) The Board may, upon written request of the applicant, grant a waiver of the 12
requirements of subsection (c)(1) of this section; provided, that: 13
“(1) The Board shall only grant a waiver under this subsection where the Board is 14
in receipt of notice from the Office of the Pardon Attorney that the Pardon Attorney or the 15
President of the United States has provided the applicant with a waiver of the 5-year requirement 16
pursuant to § 9-140.112 of the Department of Justice Manual; 17

2

“(2) The Board may decline to grant a waiver under this subsection even when the 18
Board is in receipt of the notice described in paragraph (1) of this subsection; 19
“(3) The Board shall not grant a waiver under this subsection when the applicant 20
is on probation, parole, or supervised release; 21
“(4) The Board may request additional information from the applicant to support 22
their request for a waiver of subsection (c)(1) of this section, which may include a request to 23
meet with the applicant to discuss their waiver request; 24
“(5) The Board shall provide the applicant with written notice of the Board’s 25
decision to grant or deny a waiver request pursuant to this subsection; and 26
“(6) Prior to the Board making a determination whether to grant a request for a 27
waiver pursuant to this subsection, the applicant’s application shall be deferred until a 28
determination is made.”. 29
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 30
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact 31
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 32
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 33
Sec. 4. Effective date. 34
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 35
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than 36
90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 37

3

412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; 38
D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)). 39