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PR26-0732 • 2025

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Second Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Second Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution 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
New
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the duration of the emergency declaration or its exact impact beyond authorizing waivers for pardons.

Emergency Clemency Board Waiver

This resolution allows the Clemency Board to waive the five-year waiting period for pardons during a specific emergency situation due to congressional review.

What This Bill Does

  • Declares an emergency due to congressional review regarding the need to amend section 205 of the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018.
  • Authorizes the Clemency Board to grant waivers of the five-year waiting period for applicants seeking a pardon.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Clemency Board
  • Individuals applying for pardons

Terms To Know

Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018
A law that created the Clemency Board and sets rules for its operation.
Waiver
An exception to a rule or requirement, allowing someone to bypass it.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The resolution only applies during an emergency declared by the Council.
  • It is unclear how long this emergency declaration will last.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  2. 2026-05-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    PR26-0732 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Second Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
1

__________________________
Councilmember Brooke Pinto

A RESOLUTION

___________

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

___________

To declare the existence of an emergency, due to congressional review, with respect to the need 1
to amend section 205 of the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018 to authorize the 2
Clemency Board to, for applicants seeking a pardon, grant a waiver of the 5-year waiting 3
period. 4
5
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 6
resolution may be cited as the “Clemency Board Waiver Authority Second Congressional 7
Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026”. 8
9
Sec. 2. (a) On January 6, 2026, the Council adopted the Clemency Board Waiver 10
Authority Emergency Amendment Act of 2026, effective February 27, 2026 (D.C. Act 26-253; 11
73 DCR 1078) (“emergency act”), which expires on April 27, 2026. 12
(b) On February 3, 2026, the Council adopted the Clemency Board Waiver Authority 13
Temporary Amendment Act of 2026, enacted on March 2, 2026 (D.C. Act 26-274, 73 DCR 14
3151) (“temporary act”), which has a projected law date of June 5, 2026. 15
(c) This congressional review emergency legislation is necessary to prevent a gap in the 16
law between the expiration of the emergency act and the effective date of the temporary act. 17
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances 18
enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the 19

2

Clemency Board Waiver Authority Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act 20
of 2026 be adopted after a single reading. 21
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 22