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Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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A BILL 5
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 9
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To amend, on an emergency basis, the Open Meetings Act of 2010 to provide that a meeting 13
shall be deemed open to the public if the public body takes steps reasonably calculated to 14
allow the public to view or hear the meeting while the meeting is taking place, or, if 15
doing so is not technologically feasible, as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable. 16
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 18
act may be cited as the “Virtual Open Meetings Authority Extension Emergency Amendment Act 19
of 2025”. 20
Sec. 2. The Open Meetings Act of 2010, effective March 31, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-350; 21
D.C. Official Code § 2-571 et seq.), is amended as follows: 22
(a) Section 405(a) (D.C. Official Code § 2-575(a)) is amended as follows: 23
(1) Paragraph (2) is amended by striking the phrase “; or” and inserting a 24
semicolon in its place. 25
(2) Paragraph (3) is amended by striking the period and inserting the phrase “; or” 26
in its place. 27
(3) A new paragraph (4) is added to read as follows: 28
“(4) The public body takes steps reasonably calculated to allow the public to view 29
or hear the meeting while the meeting is taking place, or, if doing so is not technologically 30
feasible, as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable.”. 31
(b) Section 407(a)(1) (D.C. Official Code § 2-577(a)(1)) is amended by striking the 32 2
phrase “attend the meeting;” and inserting the phrase “attend the meeting, or steps are taken that 33
are reasonably calculated to allow the public to view or hear the meeting while the meeting is 34
taking place, or, if doing so is not technologically feasible, as soon thereafter as reasonably 35
practicable;” in its place. 36
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 37
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact 38
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 39
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 40
Sec. 4. Effective date. 41
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 42
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than 43
90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 44
412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; 45
D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)). 46