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B26-0705 • 2025

William “Spence” Spencer, IV Way Designation Act of 2026

William “Spence” Spencer, IV Way Designation Act of 2026

Active

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

Sponsor
Frumin
Last action
2026-06-26
Official status
Under Council Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status indicates the bill is under Council Review, meaning it has not yet been passed or enacted.

William 'Spence' Spencer, IV Way Designation Act of 2026

This bill symbolically names a section of 48th Place NW in Washington, D.C., as William "Spence" Spencer, IV Way to honor his service.

What This Bill Does

  • Symbolically designates the part of 48th Place NW between MacArthur Blvd and V St. as 'William Spence Spencer, IV Way'.
  • Honors Mr. Spencer for his work on human rights abroad and his contributions to the Palisades community.
  • Recognizes that he helped found the Palisades Farmers Market located near this street section.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Residents and visitors of Ward 3 who use 48th Place NW between MacArthur Blvd and V St.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act takes effect only after the Mayor approves it (or overrides a veto) and Congress completes a 30-day review period.
  • No specific effective date is set in this text until those steps are completed.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-26 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0705 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  2. 2026-06-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Referred to Committee of the Whole

  3. 2026-06-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0705 Introduced by Councilmember Frumin at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

William “Spence” Spencer, IV Way Designation Act of 2026

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
★★★
MATTFRUMINWARD3.COM | (202) 724-8062
June 17, 2026

Nyasha Howard
Secretary to the Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004

Dear Secretary Howard,

Today, I am introducing the “William “Spence” Spencer, IV Way Designation Act of 2025.” This
legislation would ceremonially designate 48th Place, NW, between MacArthur Blvd, N.W. and V
St., N.W., as “William “Spence” Spencer, IV Way” in honor of Mr. Spencer’s deep commitment to
and work on behalf of the Palisades community. A signed copy of the legislation is enclosed.

A decades-long resident of the District, William Hall Spencer, IV was born in Durham, North
Carolina, in 1962 and graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1984. He joined the United States
Foreign Service in 1987, serving in Argentina and the Bahamas.

In 1996, Mr. Spencer helped to configure Bosnia’s first post-war elections, oversaw
implementation of human rights components of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in
Bosnia and Herzegovina, and coordinated policy and resource support for human rights in the
former Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal. Starting in 2005, Mr. Spencer advised
the Iraqi government on diverse constitutional and legislative issues. He founded the Institute for
International Law and Human Rights in 2007.

Mr. Spencer’s commitment to bettering the lives of others also found expression through local
service. He was the President of the Palisades Community Association for more than five years, led
the creation of Palisades Main Street and the Palisades Farmers Market, and chaired the Palisades
4th of July Parade for 20 years, helping build the community celebration into the iconic event it is
today. He also served on Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D from 2015 to 2016.

Through his sustained commitment to human rights and building community, both locally and
abroad, Mr. Spencer leaves a lasting legacy worthy of recognition and celebration. Ceremonially
designating in his honor 48th Place, NW, between MacArthur Blvd, N.W. and V St., N.W., which is
★★★
MATTFRUMINWARD3.COM | (202) 724-8062
the heart of the Palisades Farmers Market that he helped found, is a fitting tribute to his life of
service. This designation is supported by Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D and the Palisades
Community Association.1

Should you have any questions about this legislation, please contact my Legislative Director, Kevin
DeGood, at kdegood@dccouncil.gov or (202) 615-6160.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Matthew Frumin, Ward 3
Chair, Committee on Human Services

1 These letters of support are available via the following link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EShD0Nl33U4j-IU-
3N_qbYRuuNWJTn-j/view

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___________________________ 2
Councilmember Matthew Frumin 3
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A BILL 9
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_________ 11
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 14
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To symbolically designate 48th Place, N.W., between MacArthur Blvd, N.W and V St., N.W., in 18
Ward 3, as William “Spence” Spencer, IV Way. 19
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 21
act may be cited as the “William “Spence” Spencer, IV Way Designation Act of 2026”. 22
Sec. 2. Pursuant to sections 401, 403a, and 423 of the Street and Alley Closing and 23
Acquisition Procedures Act of 1982, effective March 10, 1983 (D.C. Law 4-201; D.C. Official 24
Code §§ 9-204.01, 9-204.03a, and 9-204.23), the Council symbolically designates 48th Place, 25
N.W., between MacArthur Blvd, N.W. and V St., N.W., in Ward 3, as “William “Spence” 26
Spencer, IV Way”. 27
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 28
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 29
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 30
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 31
Sec. 4. Effective date. 32

2

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 33
Mayor, action by the Council overriding the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review 34
as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 35
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 36