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District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0087

District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0087 Compare Versions

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1- ENROLLED ORIGINAL
2-
3-
4-
51 1
6-
7-AN ACT
8-
9-___________
10-
11-
12-IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
13-
14-___________
15-
16-
17-To amend, on an emergency basis, the Open Meetings Act to provide that a meeting
18-shall be deemed open to the public if the public body takes steps reasonably calculated to
19-allow the public to view or hear the meeting while the meeting is taking place, or, if
20-doing so is not technologically feasible, as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable.
21-
22-BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
23-act may be cited as the “Virtual Open Meetings Authority Extension Emergency Amendment Act
24-of 2025”.
25-
26-Sec. 2. The Open Meetings Act, effective March 31, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-350;
27-D.C. Official Code § 2-571 et seq.), is amended as follows:
28-(a) Section 405(a) (D.C. Official Code § 2-575(a)) is amended as follows:
29-(1) Paragraph (2) is amended by striking the phrase “; or” and inserting a
30-semicolon in its place.
31-(2) Paragraph (3) is amended by striking the period and inserting the phrase “; or”
32-in its place.
33-(3) A new paragraph (4) is added to read as follows:
34-“(4) The public body takes steps reasonably calculated to allow the public to view
35-or hear the meeting while the meeting is taking place, or, if doing so is not technologically
36-feasible, as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable.”.
37-(b) Section 407(a)(1) (D.C. Official Code § 2- 577(a)(1)) is amended by striking the
38-phrase “attend the meeting;” and inserting the phrase “attend the meeting, or steps are taken that
39-are reasonably calculated to allow the public to view or hear the meeting while the meeting is
40-taking place, or, if doing so is not technologically feasible, as soon thereafter as reasonably
41-practicable;” in its place.
42-
43-Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
44-The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact
45-statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved ENROLLED ORIGINAL
46-
47-
48-
49-2
50-
51-October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1- 301.47a).
52-
53-Sec. 4. Effective date.
54-This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
55-Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than
56-90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section
57-412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788;
58-D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)).
59-
60-
61-
62-
63-___________________________________
64-Chairman
65-Council of the District of Columbia
66-
67-
68-
69-
70-
71-_________________________________
72-Mayor
73-District of Columbia
74-
2+ ________________________ 1
3+ Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
4+ 3
5+ 4
6+A BILL 5
7+ 6
8+_____ 7
9+ 8
10+IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 9
11+ 10
12+______ 11
13+ 12
14+To amend, on an emergency basis, the Open Meetings Act of 2010 to provide that a meeting 13
15+shall be deemed open to the public if the public body takes steps reasonably calculated to 14
16+allow the public to view or hear the meeting while the meeting is taking place, or, if 15
17+doing so is not technologically feasible, as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable. 16
18+ 17
19+BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 18
20+act may be cited as the “Virtual Open Meetings Authority Extension Emergency Amendment Act 19
21+of 2025”. 20
22+Sec. 2. The Open Meetings Act of 2010, effective March 31, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-350; 21
23+D.C. Official Code § 2-571 et seq.), is amended as follows: 22
24+(a) Section 405(a) (D.C. Official Code § 2-575(a)) is amended as follows: 23
25+(1) Paragraph (2) is amended by striking the phrase “; or” and inserting a 24
26+semicolon in its place. 25
27+(2) Paragraph (3) is amended by striking the period and inserting the phrase “; or” 26
28+in its place. 27
29+(3) A new paragraph (4) is added to read as follows: 28
30+“(4) The public body takes steps reasonably calculated to allow the public to view 29
31+or hear the meeting while the meeting is taking place, or, if doing so is not technologically 30
32+feasible, as soon thereafter as reasonably practicable.”. 31
33+(b) Section 407(a)(1) (D.C. Official Code § 2-577(a)(1)) is amended by striking the 32 2
34+phrase “attend the meeting;” and inserting the phrase “attend the meeting, or steps are taken that 33
35+are reasonably calculated to allow the public to view or hear the meeting while the meeting is 34
36+taking place, or, if doing so is not technologically feasible, as soon thereafter as reasonably 35
37+practicable;” in its place. 36
38+Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 37
39+The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact 38
40+statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 39
41+October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 40
42+Sec. 4. Effective date. 41
43+This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 42
44+Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than 43
45+90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 44
46+412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; 45
47+D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)). 46