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Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau 2
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A PROPOSED RESOLUTION 7
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 11
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To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the Advisory 15
Neighborhood Commissions Act of 1975 to modify the notice requirement for certain 16
business licenses; and to amend Chapter 28 of Title 47 of the District of Columbia 17
Official Code to exempt motor clubs that perform private tow services from towing 18
service storage lot requirements, to authorize 4-year basic business licenses, to extend 19
license renewal permission beyond 9 months after expiration, to authorize the Mayor to 20
issue refunds for erroneously paid business license fees, to revise the eligibility 21
requirements for accountancy licensure by authorizing a holder of a baccalaureate degree 22
with 2 years of experience and who has passed an examination in accounting and auditing 23
to obtain a license, to allow the Mayor to add additional licensure requirements by 24
rulemaking, and to amend mobility requirements for those who are licensed in another 25
jurisdiction and want to practice in the District. 26
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RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 28
resolution may be cited as the “Business Licensing Reform and Accountancy Practice 29
Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026”. 30
Sec. 2. (a) The Business and Entrepreneurship Support to Thrive Amendment Act of 31
2022, effective March 22, 2023 (D.C. Law 24-333; 70 DCR 1524) (“BEST Act”) streamlined 32
and modernized certain aspects of the District’s business licensing system. The BEST Act was 33
fully funded in subsequent budget legislation, and full implementation began October 1, 2025. 34
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(b) In the course of implementation, the Department of Licensing and Consumer 35
Protection (DLCP) identified licensing process concerns and recommended adjustments. 36
Accordingly, the Council unanimously passed Bill 26-362, the Revised Business Licensing 37
Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2025, effective October 23, 2025 (D.C. Act 26-165), and 38
Bill 26-363, the Revised Business Licensing Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2025, 39
effective December 31, 2025 (D.C. Law 26-78; 73 DCR 611). 40
(c) The Council recently unanimously approved the Business Licensing Reform and 41
Accountancy Practice Amendment Act of 2026, passed on 1st reading on June 30, 2026 42
(Engrossed version of Bill 26-494), and final Council approval is anticipated on July 14, 2026. 43
This permanent legislation incorporates the same licensing reform provisions as Bill 26-362, but 44
is not expected to complete congressional review and take effect until after Bill 26-362 expires 45
on August 13, 2026. 46
(d) For the reasons noted in the Revised Business Licensing Reform Emergency 47
Declaration Resolution of 2025, effective October 7, 2025 (Res. 26-219; 72 DCR 11722), failure 48
to keep these provisions in place could have significant adverse impacts on businesses and the 49
economic growth of the District. 50
(e) The District is experiencing a shortage of licensed accounting professionals. The 51
pending permanent Business Licensing Reform and Accountancy Practice Amendment Act of 52
2026 will also provide additional licensure opportunities to would-be accounting professionals. 53
Failure to institute these changes promptly would deprive the most recent class of graduates from 54
accounting programs of access to licensure. 55
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Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances 56
enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the 57
Business Licensing Reform and Accountancy Practice Emergency Amendment Act of 2026 be 58
adopted after a single reading. 59
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 60