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Councilmember Anita Bonds 2
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A PROPOSED RESOLUTION 4
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 8
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To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to confirm the appointment of 12
Ms. Norma Hutcheson to the District of Columbia Board of Ethics and Government 13
Accountability. 14
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RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 16
resolution may be cited as the “District of Columbia Board of Ethics and Government 17
Accountability Norma Hutcheson Confirmation Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2023”. 18
Sec. 2. (a) The District of Columbia Board of Ethics and Government Accountability 19
(“BEGA”) investigates alleged ethics law violations by District government employees and 20
public officials, provides binding ethics advice, and conducts mandatory training on the District 21
government’s Code of Conduct. The Office of Open Government is an independent office within 22
BEGA that enforces the Open Meetings Act, monitors the District’s Freedom of Information Act 23
compliance, and assists agencies with implementing open government practices. 24
(b) Section 203 of the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and 25
Comprehensive Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2011, effective April 27, 2012 (D.C. Law 19- 26
124; D.C. Official Code § 1-1162.03), provides that members shall be appointed for 6-year terms 27
with the advice and consent of the Council. 28
(c) On October 21, 2022, Chairman Mendelson introduced, at the request of the Mayor, 29
PR24-998 (reintroduced in Council Period 25 as PR25-0010), the District of Columbia Board of 30
Ethics and Government Accountability Norma Hutcheson Confirmation Resolution of 2022, to 31
confirm Norma Hutcheson to BEGA for a 6-year term, which started the 90-day clock, ending 32
February 8, 2023, for Council review of her nomination. On January 30, 2023, the Committee on 33
Executive Administration and Labor held a public roundtable on PR25-0010. 34
(d) If Ms. Hutcheson is not confirmed by February 8, 2023, her nomination will be 35
deemed disapproved. 36
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances 37
enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the District 38
of Columbia Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Norma Hutcheson Emergency 39
Confirmation Resolution of 2023 be adopted on an emergency basis. 40
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 41