District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0189 Compare Versions

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

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3	3	COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
4	4	OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER BROOKE PINTO
5	5	THE JOHN A. WILSON BUILDING
6	6	1350 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W. , SUITE 106
7	7	WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004
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9	9
10	10
11	11
12	12	March 24, 2025
13	13
14	14	Nyasha Howard, Secretary
15	15	Council of the District of Columbia
16	16	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
17	17	Washington, DC 20004
18	18
19	19	Dear Secretary Howard,
20	20
21	21	Today, along with Chairman Phil Mendelson and Councilmember Matthew Frumin, I am
22	22	introducing the Residential Tranquility Amendment Act of 2025. This legislation is necessary to
23	23	provide protection for residential tranquility and the safety of those who reside in the District.
24	24	Government has an obligation to protect residents from escalating forms of harassment and to
25	25	ensure the fundamental right to peace and security in ones homes. Current enforcement
26	26	mechanisms have proven insufficient to address harassment, leaving residents vulnerable to
27	27	immediate and ongoing harm. This bill is an urgent and necessary approach to safeguarding the
28	28	well-being of District residents and addressing challenges to residential peace and security.
29	29
30	30	The District of Columbia has observed an increase in targeted demonstrations using amplified
31	31	sound devices, creating significant disruptions that extend far beyond any single residence
32	32	impacting entire communities. These demonstrations, particularly when employing amplified
33	33	sound devices, fundamentally disturb the peace and tranquility that residents should rightfully
34	34	expect in their homes. As the Supreme Court emphasized in Carey v. Brown, “The State's interest
35	35	in protecting the well-being, tranquility, and privacy of the home is certainly of the highest order
36	36	in a free and civilized society.”
37	37	i
38	38	The Court has consistently recognized the home as “the last citadel
39	39	of the tired, the weary, and the sick,”
40	40	ii
41	41	and maintained that “preserving the sanctity of the home,
42	42	the one retreat to which men and women can repair to escape from the tribulations of their daily
43	43	pursuits, is surely an important value.”
44	44	iii
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46	46
47	47	The persistent use of amplified sound devices in residential areas poses significant health risks to
48	48	residents. Medical research has established that persistent exposure to elevated sound levels can
49	49	trigger anxiety, elevated stress hormones, and adverse psychological effects.
50	50	iv
51	51	These impacts are
52	52	particularly severe for children whose cognitive development can be impaired by chronic
53	53	excessive sound exposure, and for elderly residents or residents with disabilities who may be more
54	54	sensitive to auditory disruptions.
55	55	v
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58	58	2
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60	60	Current regulations have proven inadequate in addressing the unique harm caused by targeted
61	61	amplified sound at residences, leaving communities without sufficient protections.
62	62	Demonstrations targeted at a residence can cause serious health, work, learning and sleep
63	63	disruptions; the limitations imposed through this legislation will help address these unique harms.
64	64
65	65	The legislation also addresses the emerging issue of unattended sound amplifying devices being
66	66	placed near residences. These devices, when left without active supervision, create unique
67	67	enforcement challenges and can subject residents to prolonged harassment with no accountable
68	68	party present to address concerns. The amendment prohibits the use of unattended amplifying
69	69	devices that target a residence for purposes of a demonstration while carefully preserving
70	70	legitimate uses through specific exemptions for emergency systems, security devices, permitted
71	71	events, construction activities, religious practices, and other necessary functions. This balanced
72	72	approach protects residential tranquility without unduly restricting legitimate sound-producing
73	73	activities that serve important community purposes. By requiring personal accountability for the
74	74	operation of sound-producing devices targeting residences, this provision strengthens enforcement
75	75	mechanisms against a form of harassment that has emerged as particularly disruptive to residential
76	76	communities.
77	77
78	78	The District has also observed a disturbing trend of individuals throwing projectiles at residential
79	79	properties as a means of harassment and intimidation. This behavior not only poses immediate
80	80	safety risks and potential property damage but also creates significant psychological distress for
81	81	residents who feel targeted and unsafe in their own homes. The current legal framework does not
82	82	adequately address this specific form of harassment, leaving a critical gap in protections for
83	83	District residents facing such intimidation tactics.
84	84
85	85	I previously introduced similar emergency legislation, which was passed by the Council in
86	86	December 2024, and this legislation would make permanent many of those changes.
87	87
88	88	Should you have any questions about this legislation, please contact Linn Groft, Committee and
89	89	Legislative Director at lgroft@dccouncil.gov.
90	90
91	91	Thank you,
92	92
93	93
94	94	Brooke Pinto
95	95	Councilmember, Ward 2
96	96	Chairwoman, Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety
97	97	Council of the District of Columbia
98	98
99	99
100	100
101	101	i
102	102	Carey v. Brown, 447 U.S. 455, 471.
103	103	ii
104	104	Gregory v. Chicago, 394 U.S. 111, 125 (1969) (Black, J., concurring).
105	105
106	106	3
107	107
108	108
109	109	iii
110	110	Carey, supra n.1, at 471.
111	111	iv
112	112	Hahad, Omar et al. Environmental Noise-Induced Effects on Stress Hormones, Oxidative Stress, and Vascular
113	113	Dysfunction: Key Factors in the Relationship between Cerebrocardiovascular and Psychological Disorders,
114	114	Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity (Nov. 2019), available here.
115	115	v
116	116	Balk, Sophie J et al., Preventing Excessive Noise Exposure in Infants, Children, and Adolescents, Pediatrics
117	117	(October 2023), available here.
118	118
119	119
120	120	_____________________________ ___________________________ 1
121	121	Chairman Phil M endelson Councilmember Brooke Pinto 2
122	122	3
123	123	4
124	124	5
125	125	_____________________________ _____________________________ 6
126	126	Councilmember Wendell Felder Councilmember Matthew Frumin 7
127	127	8
128	128	9
129	129	A BILL 10
130	130	11
131	131	_________________________ 12
132	132	13
133	133	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 14
134	134	15
135	135	_________________________ 16
136	136	17
137	137	To amend the Residential Tranquility Act of 2010 to prohibit persons targeting a residence for 18
138	138	purposes of a demonstration from using sound amplifying devices in a residential zone 19
139	139	between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m., and to prohibit a person from launching or throwing a 20
140	140	projectile onto the residential property of another with the intent to cause fear, intimidate, 21
141	141	or retaliate against any person living or working at that residence; and to prohibit the use 22
142	142	of unattended noise amplifying devices emitting sound while targeting a residence; and to 23
143	143	amend the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 24
144	144	1997 to provide that the term expiration date for a Council appointment to the 25
145	145	Corrections Information Council shall be December 7th of the year in which the term 26
146	146	expires. 27
147	147	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may 28
148	148	be cited as the “Residential Tranquility Amendment Act of 2025”. 29
149	149	Sec. 2. The Residential Tranquility Act of 2010, effective May 26, 2011 (D.C. Law 18- 30
150	150	374; D.C. Official Code § 22- 2751 et seq.), is amended as follows: 31
151	151	(a) Section 2 (D.C. Official Code § 22- 2751) is amended by adding a new paragraph (4) 32
152	152	to read as follows: 33
153	153	"(4) "Sound amplifying device" means any machine, device, or loudspeaker that 34
154	154	amplifies sound of the human voice, music, or any other sound. The term "sound amplifying 35
155	155
156	156
157	157	device" shall not include automobile audio systems when used and heard only by the occupants 36
158	158	of the vehicle in which the automobile audio system is installed, personal hearing aids, or 37
159	159	headphones. 38
160	160	“(5) “Unattended” means the device is not actively monitored, controlled, or supervised 39
161	161	by a person who is not in close physical proximity and capable of immediately ceasing the 40
162	162	operation of the device. 41
163	163	“(6) “Emitting" means the production or transmission of sound, whether continuous, 42
164	164	intermittent, or sporadic, that is audible to the average person at a distance of 25 feet or more 43
165	165	from the source of the sound amplifying device.”. 44
166	166	(b) Section 3 (D.C. Official Code § 22- 2752) is amended by adding new subsections (a-1) 45
167	167	and (a-3) to read as follows: 46
168	168	"(a-1) It is unlawful for a person to use a sound amplifying device to target a residence 47
169	169	for purposes of a demonstration between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. in Residential Zones, 48
170	170	Residential Flat Zones, or Residential Apartment Zones, as those terms are defined in the District 49
171	171	of Columbia Zoning Regulations. 50
172	172	"(a-2) It is unlawful to continue or resume targeting a residence in violation of this law 51
173	173	after being instructed by a law enforcement officer to cease targeting a residence in violation of 52
174	174	this law." 53
175	175	“(a-3) It is unlawful to leave or operate an unattended sound amplifying device emitting 54
176	176	sound to target a residence for purposes of a demonstration, provided that this prohibition shall 55
177	177	not apply to the following categories of devices or uses when used in compliance with all other 56
178	178	applicable laws and regulations: 57
179	179	“(1) Devices used for emergency or public safety purposes, including fire alarms, 58
180	180
181	181
182	182	smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and public address systems as well as emergency 59
183	183	alert systems or sirens used to warn the public of imminent danger or natural disasters; 60
184	184	“(2) Devices that are integral to property security or access control, including but 61
185	185	not limited to ring doorbells or similar video-enabled doorbell systems and electronic security 62
186	186	alarms or electronic security systems designed to alert property owners or occupants of 63
187	187	unauthorized access or other security concerns.
188	188	64
189	189	“(3) Sound amplifying devices used for events for which a valid permit has been 65
190	190	issued by the appropriate governmental authority such as concerts, parades, festivals or public 66
191	191	demonstrations, provided that such use complies with the terms and conditions of the permit;
192	192	67
193	193	“(4) Devices used in connection with construction activities, maintenance 68
194	194	activities, or repair activities, provided that such use is limited to the hours and noise levels 69
195	195	permitted under the Noise Act;
196	196	70
197	197	“(5) Devices used in connection with religious practices or by places of worship, 71
198	198	including but not limited to church bells, mosque calls to prayer, or other similar religious sound 72
199	199	devices, including amplifying devices used during religious ceremonies or services, provided 73
200	200	that such use is consistent with federal and local noise regulations; 74
201	201	“(6) Sound amplifying devices operated by law enforcement, fire departments, or 75
202	202	other emergency services resulting from emergency work, which is to be construed as work 76
203	203	made necessary to restore property to a safe condition following a public emergency, or work 77
204	204	required to protect persons or property from any imminent exposure to danger.
205	205	78
206	206	“(b) Th e exemptions listed in this section shall not be construed to permit the use 79
207	207	of sound amplifying devices in a manner that constitutes a public nuisance or otherwise violates 80
208	208	applicable noise ordinances. 81
209	209
210	210
211	211	“(d) This section shall not be construed to exempt any device or use from compliance 82
212	212	with other relevant District laws or regulations governing noise. 83
213	213	(c) A new section 3a is added to read as follows: 84
214	214	"Sec. 3a. Throwing projectiles at residential property. 85
215	215	"(a) It is unlawful for any person to launch or throw a projectile onto the residential 86
216	216	property of another with the intent to cause fear, intimidate, or retaliate against any person living 87
217	217	or working at that residence. 88
218	218	"(b) A person who violates this section, upon conviction, shall be fined no more than the 89
219	219	amount set forth in section 101 of the Criminal Fine Proportionality Amendment Act of 2012, 90
220	220	effective June 11, 2013 (D.C. Law 19- 317; D.C. Official Code § 22- 3571.01), or incarcerated for 91
221	221	no more than 90 days, or both.". 92
222	222	Sec. 3. Section 11201a(b)(2) of the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government 93
223	223	Improvement Act of 1997, effective October 2, 2010 (D.C. Law 18- 233; D.C. Official Code § 94
224	224	24-101.01(b)(2)), is amended by adding a new subparagraph (B-1) to read as follows: 95
225	225	"(B-1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the term 96
226	226	expiration date for a Council appointment to the Corrections Information Council shall be 97
227	227	December 7th of the year in which the term expires.". 98
228	228	Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement. 99
229	229	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 100
230	230	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 101
231	231	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1- 301.47a). 102
232	232	Sec. 5. Effective date. 103
233	233	This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, 104
234	234
235	235
236	236	action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as provided 105
237	237	in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 106
238	238	(87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1- 206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia 107
239	239	Register. 108