This bill amends existing laws to strengthen consumer protections for residential electricity and natural gas customers in Washington, D.C. It requires third-party energy suppliers to cap their prices at no more than 110% of the standard utility rate, with exceptions allowed for suppliers offering renewable energy or those deemed to be in the public interest. Additionally, the legislation grants residents the right to cancel their energy contracts at any time without facing early termination fees or penalties. The bill also holds energy companies legally responsible for any violations committed by their agents, contractors, or brokers.
This bill clarifies that guests in hotels, motels, and short-term rentals must leave the property once their reservation ends and have no right to stay longer without permission from the host. It explicitly defines individuals who remain beyond their agreed-upon stay as trespassers, allowing the Metropolitan Police Department to remove them if necessary. The law also extends these rules to vacation rentals and ensures that failure to make required payments is treated as a lack of lawful authority to remain. These changes aim to provide clear legal grounds for property owners and law enforcement to address unauthorized overstays.
The First Responders Facilities Modernization Act of 2026 creates a structured process to update and maintain facilities for the District's police and fire departments. It requires the Mayor to establish a new office dedicated to developing a comprehensive 10-year plan for these buildings, which must be reviewed and approved by the City Council every five years. This plan will use specific data, such as crime rates, call volumes, and neighborhood growth, to decide which facilities need repairs or upgrades first. Additionally, the law mandates that the Mayor submit a revised plan within 180 days if the Council rejects the initial proposal.
The Public Trust in Utility Regulation Act of 2026 requires electric and gas companies in the District of Columbia to provide detailed information about proposed capital investments when seeking rate increases. This legislation mandates that utility firms disclose the purpose, cost, and expected benefits of each project to the Public Service Commission and make this data publicly available. Additionally, the bill establishes a requirement for the Commission to audit public utility finances, expenditures, and service quality every three years. These measures aim to increase transparency and accountability in utility regulation without changing the Public Service Commission's existing authority. The primary goal is to help residents and policymakers better understand how utility costs are determined and ensure investments serve the public interest.
This bill updates the reporting rules for the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment, requiring the agency to publish certain reports on its website instead of sending them directly to the City Council. Key changes include reducing how often some reports are submitted, such as switching from annual to biennial schedules for the Green Building Commission, and extending the time period covered by some reports from one year to two. The legislation also removes outdated or duplicate reporting requirements and adjusts deadlines to better align with when data is available. Ultimately, the bill aims to streamline administrative processes while maintaining public access to information about environmental programs and expenditures.
This bill updates existing safety laws to include two new sports venues, the Downtown Arena and the Southeast Arena, in regulations that currently apply to other stadiums in the District of Columbia. The primary change prohibits unauthorized individuals from entering the playing surfaces of these arenas unless they have explicit permission from the venue operators. By adding these locations to the legal definition of regulated areas, the measure ensures consistent safety standards across all major sports facilities in the city.
The Protecting Judicial Privacy Act of 2026 prohibits government agencies and private entities from publicly displaying personal information about judges and magistrates in the District of Columbia. This information includes home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and details about their children under 18. Under the bill, a judge can send a written request to stop this information from being posted online or in public records, requiring agencies to remove it within five business days and private companies to do so within 48 hours. If a judge's personal data is shared after such a request, they can sue for legal relief and recover legal fees. The law applies to all active and retired judges serving in federal courts and the District of Columbia's court system.
The Smoke Detector Safety Amendment Act of 2025 prohibits the sale or installation of solely battery-operated smoke detectors that are not tamper-resistant in Washington, D.C., effective July 1, 2025. It directly affects retailers, installers, and manufacturers selling or installing these devices within the District. The bill defines "tamper-resistant" as detectors where batteries cannot be manually removed, replaced, or disabled by consumers. Violations may result in civil fines up to $500, and residents can file written complaints with the Mayor alleging non-compliance.
The "Clemency Board Waiver Authority Amendment Act of 2025" would allow the District of Columbia's Clemency Board to grant waivers of the five-year waiting period required for pardon applicants. Currently, applicants must wait five years after release from confinement or five years after conviction (if no prison sentence was imposed) before applying for a pardon, but the federal Department of Justice can grant waivers of this requirement. This bill would enable the Board to grant similar waivers when the Office of the Pardon Attorney has already provided a waiver to the applicant, though the Board could decline to grant a waiver even with federal approval. The Board would not be permitted to grant waivers to individuals on probation, parole, or supervised release, and would need to provide written notice of their waiver decision.
This bill ensures couples can obtain marriage licenses in Washington, D.C., during federal government shutdowns. It authorizes the Mayor to temporarily issue marriage licenses and manage related duties when the Superior Court (which normally handles licenses) cannot operate due to a shutdown. The Mayor would use modified forms and maintain records during these periods, while the Court resumes full responsibility afterward. This directly affects engaged couples, families, and wedding officiants who previously faced uncertainty during shutdowns, which have occurred frequently in recent years.
This bill temporarily amends existing laws to increase transparency and clarify billing rules for the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority. It requires the authority to report monthly data on water disconnections to government oversight bodies and mandates that notices sent to building occupants before shutting off water be posted in multiple languages. Additionally, the legislation sets specific limits on late payment fees and clarifies the process for restoring service and imposing fines for unauthorized reconnection. These changes directly affect the water authority's operations and the residents or owners of properties subject to water service disconnections.
This bill temporarily designates specific housing units in the Reservoir District as affordable housing for tax exemption purposes. It requires that one-third of the rental units be set aside for households earning up to 80 percent of the area's median income, using Fair Market Rent standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The measure is set to expire 225 days after it takes effect.
