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Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie 2
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A PROPOSED RESOLUTION 7
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 10
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To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend An Act To 13
provide a People’s Counsel for the Public Service Commission in the District 14
of Columbia, and for other purposes to extend the allowable holdover period of 15
the People’s Counsel until a successor takes office. 16
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RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That 18
this resolution may be cited as the “People’s Counsel Holdover Extension Emergency 19
Declaration Resolution of 2023”. 20
Sec. 2. (a) The current People ’s Counsel has a term that expired in June and the 21
allowable holdover period is set to expire on or about December 10, 2023. The current 22
People’s Counsel was re nominated by the Mayor on November 1, 2023. The nomination 23
resolution was referred to the Committee on Business and Economic Development on 24
November 7, 2023. 25
(b) There is inadequate time for the Council and the Committee to review and act 26
on the nomination for this important position before the current allowable holdover 27
period expires. Thus, there exists an immediate need to extend the holdover period to 28
allow sufficient time for the Council ’s review. 29
(c) Preserving the continuity of the People ’s Counsel’s term of office is vital as 30
there are several important cases before the Public Service Commission of the District of 31 2
Columbia, including the Pepco and Washington Gas rate cases, Project Pipes, numerous 32
climate-related proceedings, and water and energy litigation before the District of 33
Columbia Court of Appeals, and dispositive policy decisions by the People’s Counsel 34
will be needed within the next 90 days. 35
Sec. 3. The Council determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 36
constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the People ’s Counsel 37
Holdover Extension Emergency Extension Amendment Act of 2023 be adopted after a 38
single reading. 39
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 40