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PR26-0341 • 2025

Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Extension Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Extension Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Henderson
Last action
2025-10-17
Official status
Approved
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on consumer behavior post-pandemic, only that it was a consideration for extending emergency measures.

Employee Safety for Entertainment Businesses

This resolution allows certain entertainment and retail businesses in Washington D.C. to refuse cash payments during an emergency period.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows specific types of businesses in Washington D.C., such as those with Class C or D retailer licenses, to not accept cash as payment.
  • Requires these businesses to put up clear signs telling customers they do not take cash.
  • Extends the time for this rule to be in effect while permanent laws are being made.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Retail establishments with Class C or D licenses
  • Restaurants that operate late at night

Terms To Know

Class C and Class D retailer license
Special permits for certain types of retail businesses in Washington D.C.
Emergency Declaration Resolution
A temporary law made during a crisis to address urgent issues

Limits and Unknowns

  • The resolution only applies while permanent laws are being considered.
  • It does not specify what happens if customers do not have other payment methods.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Resolution R26-0211, Effective from Oct 07, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 011423

  2. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  3. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  4. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Approved with Resolution Number R26-0211

  5. 2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    PR26-0341 Introduced by Councilmember Henderson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Extension Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL

1

A RESOLUTION

26-211

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

October 7, 2025

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend section 28-5404 of
the District of Columbia Official Code to allow retail establishments with a valid on-
premises Class C and Class D retailer license and certain restaurants to refuse cash as a
form of payment.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Extension
Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025”.

Sec. 2. (a) Emergency legislation is needed to permit a retail establishment with a valid
on-premises Class C or Class D retailer license or a restaurant location that operates 24 hours a
day or operates at 3:00 am at least 2 days a week to refuse cash as a form of payment; provided,
that such establishments display written, conspicuous notice to the public that cash payments are
not accepted on the door of the establishment or menu.
(b) Identical emergency and temporary legislation were introduced and approved in
Council Period 25 in recognition of the changes in consumer use of payment forms post-
pandemic and to balance unbanked individuals’ reliance on cash as a form of payment to obtain
necessary goods and services with the safety concerns of particularly vulnerable businesses.
(c) It is necessary to extend these measures’ applicability while the permanent legislation
is pending in committee.

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
Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Extension Emergency Amendment Act of 2025
be adopted after a single reading.

Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.