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PR26-0101 • 2025

Consumer Protection Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Consumer Protection Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Housing
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Mendelson
Last action
2025-03-14
Official status
Approved
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how this resolution prevents gaps in the law, so this claim was removed.

Clarifying Consumer Protection for District Government

This resolution clarifies that the District government is not considered a merchant under consumer protection laws, except when dealing with landlord-tenant issues involving the Housing Authority.

What This Bill Does

  • Declares an emergency situation due to congressional review of existing consumer protection laws.
  • Amends Chapter 39 of Title 28 in the District's official code to clarify that the government is not a merchant under these laws, except for landlord-tenant issues involving the Housing Authority.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The District of Columbia government
  • Consumers in the District of Columbia

Terms To Know

Merchant
A business or organization that sells goods or services to consumers.
Congressional Review
The process where Congress reviews and potentially changes laws passed by the District of Columbia.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This resolution only applies to the District of Columbia.
  • It does not change how consumer protection laws apply to businesses or individuals outside of government-related landlord-tenant issues.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Resolution R26-0040, Effective from Mar 04, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 002660

  2. 2025-03-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  3. 2025-03-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  4. 2025-03-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Approved with Resolution Number R26-0040

  5. 2025-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    PR26-0101 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Consumer Protection Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL

A RESOLUTION

26-40

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

March 4, 2025

To declare the existence of an emergency, due to congressional review, with respect to the need
to amend Chapter 39 of Title 28 of the District of Columbia Official Code to clarify that
the District government is not a merchant under the District’s consumer protection law
except with respect to the application of that chapter’s landlord-tenant relations
provisions to the District of Columbia Housing Authority.

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “Consumer Protection Clarification Congressional Review
Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025”.

Sec. 2. (a) On November 26, 2024, the Council approved the Consumer Protection
Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2024, effective December 19, 2024 (D.C. Act 25-
667; 71 DCR 16306) (“Emergency Act”). The Emergency Act will expire on March 19, 2025.
(b) On December 17, 2024, the Council approved the Consumer Protection Clarification
Temporary Amendment Act of 2024, enacted on January 15, 2025 (D.C. Act 25-707; 72 DCR
830) (“Temporary Act”) on second reading. The Temporary Act has yet to complete
congressional review. Therefore, this congressional review emergency is necessary to prevent a
gap in the law between the expiration of the Emergency Act and the effective date of the
Temporary Act.

Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances
enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the
Consumer Protection Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025
be adopted after a single reading.

Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.