District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0112 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	1
3	3	___________________________ ______________________________ 1
4	4	Councilmember B rianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Charles Allen 2
5	5	3
6	6	4
7	7	___________________________ ______________________________ 5
8	8	Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Brooke Pinto 6
9	9	7
10	10	8
11	11	___________________________ 9
12	12	Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 10
13	13	11
14	14	A BILL 12
15	15	13
16	16	________ 14
17	17	15
18	18	16
19	19	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 17
20	20	18
21	21	_________________ 19
22	22	20
23	23	21
24	24	To amend An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia control of street 22
25	25	parking in said District to require the Department of Parks and Recreation to establish a 23
26	26	program with the District of Columbia Public Schools for use of DCPS outdoor fields by 24
27	27	certified, community-based youth sports organizations ; to amend the Division of Park 25
28	28	Services Act of 1988 to require the Department of Parks and Recreation to create a new 26
29	29	permit program for outdoor field use by certified community-based youth sports 27
30	30	organizations in the District and lay out the requirements for the program; to amend the 28
31	31	Ensuring Community Access to Recreational Spaces Act of 2018 to reorder the priority 29
32	32	level of permitted uses for recreational spaces and make conforming changes; and to amend 30
33	33	Section 717.2 of Title 19 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to make 31
34	34	conforming changes. 32
35	35	33
36	36	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 34
37	37	act may be cited as the “Department of Parks and Recreation Field Priority Access Amendment 35
38	38	Act of 2025”. 36
39	39	Sec. 2. Section 6a of An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia 37
40	40	control of street parking in said District, effective July 1, 1898 ( 30 Stat. 570; D.C. Official Code § 38
41	41	10–137.01) is amended by adding a new subsection (d-1) to read as follows: 39
42	42	“(d-1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director of the Department shall 40
43	43	establish a program in partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools (“DCPS”) to allow 41
44	44	2
45	45	for the use of DCPS outdoor athletic and recreational fields in every ward on evenings and 42
46	46	weekends, outside of the hours in which the fields are in active use by schools or the Department .”. 43
47	47	Sec. 3. The Division of Park Services Act of 1988, effective March 16, 1988 (D.C. Law 7-44
48	48	209; D.C. Official Code § 10- 166 et seq.) is amended by adding a new section 2b to read as follows: 45
49	49	“Sec. 2b. Certified community-based youth sports organizations. 46
50	50	“(a) The Department of Parks and Recreation (“Department”) shall establish a Certified 47
51	51	Community-Based Youth Sports Organization program for the issuance of outdoor field permits, 48
52	52	which shall be determined and certified by the Department. 49
53	53	“(b) A certified community-based youth sports organization seeking a permit under this 50
54	54	program shall: 51
55	55	“(1) Be a District-registered non- profit organization that is tax exempt under 26 52
56	56	U.S.C. § 501(c)(3), (4), or (6); 53
57	57	“(2) Serve at least 100% of youth under the age of 19, 75% of which are District 54
58	58	residents; 55
59	59	“(3) Not restrict participation based on ability; 56
60	60	“(4) Have a documented process to waive organization fees and uniform costs for 57
61	61	low-income families; 58
62	62	“(5) Have at least 75% of its leadership team, board of directors, or similar 59
63	63	governing body maintain a primary residence within the District; and 60
64	64	“(6) Have and maintain accident and general liability insurance. 61
65	65	“(c) Certified community-based youth sports organizations shall receive the same priority 62
66	66	when rescheduling following a weather-related cancellation as they would be allowed during the 63
67	67	initial permit application. 64
68	68	3
69	69	“(d) The Department shall make available to certified community -based youth sports 65
70	70	organizations any necessary lighting and be responsible for the operation of field lighting as 66
71	71	necessary at District parks and recreational fields and DCPS athletic and recreational fields during 67
72	72	the following windows each week during a season at the same rate for non-profit entities: 68
73	73	“(1) For District parks and recreational fields, Monday through Friday from 4:00 69
74	74	p.m. to 9:00 p.m., or for a DCPS school during afterschool programs Monday through Friday from 70
75	75	6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and 71
76	76	“(2) Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 72
77	77	“(e)(1) DCPS may provide access to bathroom or locker room facilities or security services. 73
78	78	“(2) Certified community-based youth sports organizations shall: 74
79	79	“(A) Be responsible for the cleanup and disposal of all trash or debris related 75
80	80	to their activities; and 76
81	81	“(B) Leave the athletic and recreational field secured as requested by the 77
82	82	Department or DCPS. 78
83	83	“(3) DCPS shall not pass on associated costs for staffing, custodial, or security 79
84	84	services to certified community -based youth sports organizations . 80
85	85	“(f) DCPS may cancel any permitted activity with 30 days’ notice to the community-based 81
86	86	youth sports organization that conflicts with a DCPS activity on or at the outdoor athletic and 82
87	87	recreational field. 83
88	88	“(g) The Department may suspend or revoke the certification of a community-based youth 84
89	89	sports organization if: 85
90	90	“(1) More than 25% of the permits accepted are not used in a given sports season, 86
91	91	excluding postponements due to weather or unforeseen circumstances outside of the control of the 87
92	92	certified community-based youth sports organization; 88
93	93	4
94	94	“(2) Any permit is transferred to or used by any other entity without the written 89
95	95	consent of the Department; 90
96	96	“(3) For a DCPS school permit, any violation of specific agreements relating to 91
97	97	cleanup, trash disposal, and securing the field after use; or 92
98	98	“(4) The certified community-based youth sports organization fails to remain in 93
99	99	good standing with the Department or meet other requirements that may be set by the Department, 94
100	100	DCPS, or other District agencies. 95
101	101	“(h) The Department shall require a certified community-based youth sports organization 96
102	102	to re-apply for certification annually.”. 97
103	103	Sec. 4. Section 3 of the Ensuring Community Access to Recreational Spaces Act of 2018, 98
104	104	effective February 22, 2019 (D.C. Law 22-210; D.C. Official Code § 38- 431 et seq.), is amended 99
105	105	as follows: 100
106	106	(a) Subsection (a) is amended to read as follows: 101
107	107	“(a) School facilities shall be used according to the following order of priority: 102
108	108	“(1) Use of the school facility by the public school where the school facility is 103
109	109	located; 104
110	110	“(2) Use of the school facility by DCPS; 105
111	111	“(3) Community use at times designated by the Mayor; and 106
112	112	“(4) Use of the school facility by permit holders, including permits issued by the 107
113	113	Department of Parks and Recreation. 108
114	114	(b) Subsection (b)(2) is amended by adding a new subparagraph (B-i) to read as follows: 109
115	115	“(B-i) Certified community-based youth sports organizations;”. 110
116	116	5
117	117	(c) Subsection (c) is amended by striking the phrase “school facility” and inserting the 111
118	118	phrase “school facility, except that custodial or security fees shall not be charged for the use of a 112
119	119	field” in its place. 113
120	120	Sec. 5. Section 717.2 of Title 19 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations is 114
121	121	amended to read as follows: 115
122	122	“If more than one (1) applicant is seeking a permit for the same permitted use or equipment 116
123	123	at the same time, the Department shall establish the following priority: 117
124	124	“(a) Department-sponsored activities; 118
125	125	“(b) Athletic programs organized by DCPS, District public charter schools, or the 119
126	126	DCSAA for competitive league play and not for intramurals; 120
127	127	“(c) Certified community-based youth sports organizations as recognized by the 121
128	128	Department and youth non- profit organizations, including schools, principally serving District 122
129	129	residents; 123
130	130	“(d) Non-profit partners such as Programmatic Partners, Park Partners, and 124
131	131	Collaborative Partners or designated organizations recognized by the Department in a written 125
132	132	agreement; 126
133	133	“(e) Adult non- profit organizations principally serving District residents; 127
134	134	“(f) Other organizations, groups, or individuals for private use that are based in the 128
135	135	District; and then 129
136	136	“(g) Others.”. 130
137	137	Sec. 6. Fiscal impact statement. 131
138	138	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact 132
139	139	statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 133
140	140	October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1- 301.47a). 134
141	141	6
142	142	Sec. 7. Effective date. 135
143	143	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 136
144	144	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30- day period of congressional review as 137
145	145	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 138
146	146	1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1- 206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 139
147	147	Columbia Register. 140