B 26-0502 Legislature · 26th Council Period (2025-2026)

Porchfest Permitting Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This bill temporarily amends the Block Party Act of 2012 to create a specific permit process for "porchfests" in Washington, D.C. It defines a porchfest as a neighborhood music event where musicians perform on residents' private property (like porches or yards) with no fees for participants or attendees. The key change allows District residents to apply for block party permits specifically to close streets for these events. The amendment is temporary, expiring 225 days after it takes effect.

Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

Council Passage

Dec 2025

Signed into Law

Mar 2026

Introduced Dec 1, 2025 Signed Mar 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossment → Enrollment · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill transitioned from an Engrossed version to an Enrolled version, marking its final approval for signing into law. The substantive policy content remained largely the same, but the Enrolled version includes formal signatures from the Council Chairman and Mayor, and slightly reorganized the fiscal impact statement section. The core amendment to the Block Party Act allowing residents to apply for permits for porchfest events is preserved.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability. The policy to allow residents to host musical performances on their property as part of a porchfest and apply for block party permits remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Added formal signatures from the Council Chairman and Mayor at the end of the document, which is standard procedure for enrolled legislation ready for signing.

Reorganized the fiscal impact statement section to reference the Budget Director's statement rather than the committee report, which is a standard procedural update for enrolled bills.

Minor formatting adjustments including spacing and line breaks throughout the document to conform to enrolled bill standards.

Floor votes · Council Dec 16, 2025

How they voted

13–0

Passed

Total votes 13

Dec 16, 2025

D Democratic11

11 Yea

100% 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

Dec 16, 2025

Council · Passed

Council Vote: pass (13-0)

council

Dec 2, 2025

Introduced

Amendment (CM Allen)

legislature

Dec 1, 2025

Introduced

B26-0502 Introduced by Councilmember Lewis George at Office of the Secretary

legislature

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors