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B26-0747 • 2025

Schedule of Fines Rulemaking Approval and Authority Emergency Act of 2026

Schedule of Fines Rulemaking Approval and Authority Emergency Act of 2026

Active

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

Sponsor
at the request of the Mayor
Last action
2026-07-14
Official status
Under Council Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is conditional on multiple steps (Mayor approval, Congressional review, publication) rather than a fixed calendar date provided in the bill.

Schedule of Fines Rulemaking Approval and Authority Emergency Act of 2026

This bill approves new rules from the District Department of Transportation that clarify fine amounts for speeding in Washington, D.C., allowing them to take effect quickly.

What This Bill Does

  • Approves proposed rules from the Director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to amend the schedule of fines for speeding infractions.
  • Sets specific dollar amounts for fines based on how many miles per hour a driver exceeds the speed limit, ranging from $50.00 up to more than 25 mph over the limit.
  • Authorizes DDOT to issue these rules immediately as an emergency measure rather than waiting for standard review periods.
  • Clarifies that fines for speeding more than 25 mph over the limit differ depending on whether the road is a controlled access roadway ($400.00) or not ($500.00).
  • Adopts a fiscal impact statement prepared by the Chief Financial Officer.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Drivers in Washington, D.C., who receive tickets for speeding.
  • The District Department of Transportation (DDOT), which issues and enforces these traffic rules.
  • The Council of the District of Columbia, which must approve this legislation.

Terms To Know

Emergency basis
A process that allows new rules to take effect immediately without waiting for the usual review period because it is necessary to preserve public safety and welfare.
Controlled access roadways
Roads where entry and exit are limited, such as highways or expressways, which carry a lower fine ($400.00) for speeding more than 25 mph over the limit compared to other roads.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill will not take effect until after approval by the Mayor (or an override of a veto), a 30-day Congressional review period, and publication in the District of Columbia Register.
  • The official text does not specify the exact calendar date when these rules will become effective.

Bill History

  1. 2026-07-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council with comments from the Committee on Transportation and the Environment

  2. 2026-07-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  3. 2026-07-08 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0747 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Schedule of Fines Rulemaking Approval and Authority Emergency Act of 2026

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
July 8, 2026
Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
Enclosed for conside ration and approva l by the Council of the District of Columbia are the
“Schedule of Fines Rulema king Approval and Autho rity Emergency Declar ation Resolution of
2026” and the “Schedule of Fines Rulemaking A pproval and Authority Emergency Act of
2026.”The bill and c orresponding resolution will, on an eme rgency basis, approve ru les that
clarify the schedule of fines related to speeding.
Council action on an emergency basis is necessary to preserve public safety and welfare because
effective enforcement of the traffic laws creates safer roadways for all road users. Reductions in
speeding have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of death or serious injury in crashes,
and this rulemaking is necessary for effective continued enforcement.
I urge the Council to take prompt and favorable action on the enclosed legislation.
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~ Chairman Phil Mendelson
at the request of the Mayor
ABILL
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
13 To approve, on an emergency basis, certain proposed rules in accordance with section 105( a)(l)
14 of the District of Columbia Traffic Adjudication Act of 1978, and to authorize the
15 issuance of such rules on an emergency basis.
16
17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
18 act may be cited as the "Schedule of Fines Rulemaking Approval and Authority Emergency Act
19 of 2026".
20 Sec. 2. In accordance with section 105(a)(l) of the District of Columbia Traffic
21 Adjudication Act of 1978, effective September 12, 1978 (D.C. Law 2-104; D.C. Official Code§
22 50-2301.0S(a)(l)) ("Section 105(a)(l)"), the Council approves the proposed rules issued by the
23 Director of the District Department of Transportation to amend the schedule of fines set forth in
24 Section 2600 of Title 18 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, published in the
25 District of Columbia Register on June 26, 2026, at 73 DCR 008942, and the Director of the
26 District Department of Transportation may, notwithstanding Section 105(a)(l), issue such rules
27 on an emergency basis pursuant to section 6( c) of the District of Columbia Administrative
28 Procedure Act, approved October 21 , 1968 (82 Stat. 1024; D .C . Official Code§ 2-505(c)).
29 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
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The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Chief Financial Officer as the fiscal 30
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 31
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 32
Sec. 4. Effective date. 33
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 34
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and a 30-day period of Congressional review 35
as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 36
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia 37
Register. 38
DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING

The Director of the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), pursuant to the authority set
forth in Section 105(a)(1) of the District of Columbia Traffic Adjudication Act of 1978, effective
September 12, 1978 (D.C. Law 2-104; D.C. Official Code § 50-2301.05(a)(1)) and Mayor’s Order
2019-060, dated June 20, 2019, hereby gives notice of her intent to adopt the following
amendments to Chapter 26 (Civil Fines for Moving and Non- Moving Infractions) of Title 18
(Vehicles and Traffic) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (“DCMR”).

These proposed rules would clarify the intended. This clarification is necessary because the
current fine table for speeding may be unclear and create confusion for drivers.

The Director also gives notice of her intent to take final rulemaking action to adopt these
amendments as final in not less than thirty (30) days after the date of publication of this notice in
the District of Columbia Register.

Chapter 26, CIVIL FINES FOR MOVING AND NON-MOVING INFRACTIONS, of Title
18, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, of the DCMR, is amended as follows:

Section 2600, CIVIL FINES FOR MOTOR VEHICLE MOVING INFRACTIONS, is
amended as follows:

Subsection 2600.1 is amended as follows:

The following infraction categories under “Speeding” are amended to read as follows:

Up to 10 mph in excess of limit [§ 2200] $50.00
More than 10 up to 15 mph in excess of limit [§ 2200] $100.00
More than 15 up to 20 mph in excess of limit [§ 2200] $150.00
More than 20 up to 25 mph in excess of limit [§ 2200] $200.00
More than 25 mph in excess of limit on controlled
access roadways [§ 2200]
$400.00
More than 25 mph in excess of limit on non-controlled
access roadways [§ 2200]
$500.00

All persons interested in commenting on the subject matter in this proposed rulemaking may file
comments in writing, no later than thirty (30) days after the publication of this notice in the District
of Columbia Register, with Catherine Kaufman, Senior Policy and Legislative Analyst, Policy and
Legislative Affairs Branch, Office of the Director, 250 M Street S.E., 8th Floor, Washington, D.C.,
20003. Comments may also be sent electronically to publicspace.policy@dc.gov. Copies of this
proposed rulemaking are available, at cost, by writing to the above address, and are also available
electronically, at no cost, on the District Department of Transportation’s website at ddot.dc.gov.

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

Legal Counsel Division

MEMORANDUM

TO: Tomás Talamante
Director
Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs

FROM: Adele El-Khouri
Assistant Deputy Attorney General
Legal Counsel Division

DATE: June 11, 2026

RE: Schedule of Fines Rulemaking Approval and Authority Emergency Act of
2026 and Accompanying Emergency Declaration
(AR-26-519-C)
______________________________________________________________________________

This is to Certify that the Office of the Attorney General has
reviewed the above-referenced legislation and determined that it is legally sufficient. If you
have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at (202) 262-6402.

_________________________________
Adele El-Khouri