ENROLLED ORIGINAL
A RESOLUTION
25-376
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
December 5, 2023
To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend An Act To
provide a People’s Counsel for the Public Service Commission in the District of
Columbia, and for other purposes to extend the allowable holdover period of the
People’s Counsel until a successor takes office.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “People’s Counsel Holdover Extension Emergency Declaration
Resolution of 2023”.
Sec. 2. (a) The current People ’s Counsel has a term that expired in June and the allowable
holdover period is set to expire on or about December 10, 2023. The current People ’s Counsel
was renominated by the Mayor on November 1, 2023. The nomination resolution was referred
to the Committee on Business and Economic Development on November 7, 2023.
(b) There is inadequate time for the Council and the Committee to review and act on the
nomination for this important position before the current allowable holdover period expires.
Thus, there exists an immediate need to extend the holdover period to allow sufficient time for
the Council’s review.
(c) Preserving the continuity of the People’s Counsel’s term of office is vital as there are
several important cases before the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia,
including the Pepco and Washington Gas rate cases, Project Pipes, numerous climate-related
proceedings, and water and energy litigation before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals,
and dispositive policy decisions by the People’s Counsel will be needed within the next 90 days.
Sec. 3. The Council determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute
emergency circumstances making it necessary that the People ’s Counsel Holdover Extension
Emergency Extension Amendment Act of 2023 be adopted after a single reading.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.