B 26-0200 Legislature · 26th Council Period (2025-2026)

Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This temporary 2025 bill amends Washington, D.C.'s Open Meetings Act to clarify key definitions and exemptions. It specifies that a "meeting" includes gatherings where public business is discussed but excludes casual gatherings, press conferences, or policy briefings without action. The bill allows public bodies to discuss terrorist threats or public health risks without public disclosure (if disclosure would endanger safety) and exempts Council-Mayor meetings from the act if no official action is taken. It also requires public bodies to make meetings accessible to the public either live or as soon as reasonably practicable after the meeting. The amendment applies temporarily to D.C. public bodies like city councils and committees.

Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Council Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Sep 2025

Introduced Mar 28, 2025 Signed Sep 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossment → Enrollment · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill clarifies the District of Columbia's Open Meetings Act by updating definitions of what constitutes a 'meeting,' adding exemptions for certain confidential briefings and Council-Mayor meetings, and expanding public access requirements. The changes aim to balance transparency with the need for confidential discussions on security threats and legislative strategy.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of exemptions from the Open Meetings Act to include briefings about terrorist threats and public health dangers, and adds a new exemption for meetings between Council members and the Mayor when no official action is taken.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'meeting' to clarify that it includes various communication methods and to specify what gatherings are excluded from the definition.

ELIGIBILITY

Added new exemption allowing public bodies to receive confidential briefings about terrorist threats or public health dangers without taking official action.

Added exemption for meetings between Council members and the Mayor, provided no official action is decided at those meetings.

REQUIREMENT

Modified public access requirements to allow meetings to be considered open if the public can view or hear them during the meeting or as soon as reasonably practicable if technology doesn't allow simultaneous access.

Changed notification requirements from 'except for emergency meetings' to 'attempt to provide' notice, making the requirement more flexible.

TIMELINE

Added a 225-day expiration date for the temporary amendment provisions.

Floor votes · Council Jun 3, 2025

How they voted

9–2

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 12

Jun 3, 2025

D Democratic10

7 Yea 2 Nay 1

70% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 3, 2025

Council · Passed

Council Vote: pass (9-2-1)

council

Apr 1, 2025

Introduced

Amendment (Mendelson)

legislature

Mar 28, 2025

Introduced

B26-0200 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

legislature

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors