District of Columbia Bills

This bill revises deadlines and processes for assessing real property taxes in Washington D.C. for large-valued properties. It extends the deadline for owners to submit income and expense data to the Office of Tax and Revenue from March 1 to March 15 annually. The bill also requires electronic filing of this data and delays key appeal dates: owners of properties on a designated list can file appeals until July 1 (instead of April 1) and receive responses by October 15 (instead of September 30). These changes aim to align assessment schedules with the availability of prior-year financial data for large properties.

The Senior Property Tax Aggregation Amendment Act of 2025 would allow seniors aged 65 or older who live in a home to combine their ownership shares with other eligible co-owners (also 65+ and living in the home) to meet the 50% ownership requirement for property tax relief. Currently, seniors with less than 50% individual ownership - such as those sharing a family home with siblings - cannot qualify for tax relief even if they meet age and income criteria, risking tax sales. The bill amends eligibility rules to permit this aggregation, preventing unnecessary foreclosures for seniors in multi-owner homes. This change aligns the District's policy with most states that focus on age, income, and residency rather than strict individual ownership percentages.

The Juvenile Curfew Amendment Act of 2025 establishes a uniform curfew for youth in the District of Columbia, starting at 11 p.m. daily (including weekends and summer) and extending to cover 17-year-olds (previously limited to ages 16 and under). It authorizes the Chief of Police to create "extended curfew zones" in specific areas where the curfew begins at 8 p.m. and runs until 6 a.m. for up to four consecutive days, with community groups able to petition for these zones. The bill also allows the Mayor to declare emergency curfews for public safety in response to immediate threats. These changes aim to enhance enforcement flexibility while protecting both youth and public safety.

This bill clarifies that the District of Columbia's Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) must cover and reimburse remote patient monitoring for specific health metrics during pregnancy and up to 12 months postpartum. It specifically requires coverage for remote monitoring of blood pressure and blood glucose levels, directly affecting pregnant individuals and new mothers in DC who manage conditions like gestational hypertension (8.5% prevalence) or gestational diabetes (5% prevalence). The amendment narrows the scope of the 2013 Telehealth Reimbursement Act to focus exclusively on these two health metrics, addressing prior budget concerns about broad digital health coverage. This change aims to improve maternal health outcomes by enabling early complication detection, as supported by studies showing 43% better postpartum blood pressure control with such monitoring.

This bill (B 26-0484) simplifies property tax appeals in D.C. by removing a rule that blocked adjustments to assessments if the error was within 5% of the original value. It directly affects residential and commercial property owners who face overpayments due to assessment errors, particularly lower-income residents and seniors. Key changes include extending authorization letters for appeals to 3 years, requiring RPTAC decisions to be issued within 30 days (by March 1 instead of February 1), standardizing deadlines to business days, and allowing electronic delivery of appeals communications. These provisions aim to reduce administrative burdens and make the system more timely and accessible.

This bill would provide a complete property tax exemption for disabled veterans in the District of Columbia who have a 100% service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as for their surviving spouses or the surviving spouses of veterans who died in the line of duty. It removes the current $159,750 household income limit and replaces the partial $445,000 deduction with a full exemption, aligning with policies in Maryland and Virginia. The exemption applies to the primary residence and associated property, while preserving the requirement for a VA disability rating.

This bill approves a funding increase for the Local Rent Supplement Program to support affordable housing at the Flats at South Capitol Apartments. It raises the annual subsidy from approximately $487,000 to $845,490.67 for twenty-two units, allowing the property to house extremely low-income residents earning 30% or less of the area median income. The change is authorized for a twenty-year term and enables the District Housing Authority to lease the rehabilitated units to qualifying households.

This bill requires District of Columbia public charter schools and public schools to give admission preference in the annual school lottery to students who attended a school that closed during the current or immediately preceding school year. It directly affects families displaced by sudden school closures - such as those from charter schools with revoked or relinquished charters, or DCPS schools determined to close - by ensuring these students receive priority access to available seats during the lottery process. The preference applies whether the closure announcement occurs during the active lottery period or before it begins, allowing displaced students to compete for spots alongside those who participated in the full lottery cycle. This policy change aims to mitigate disruptions caused by school closures, which research links to long-term negative impacts on students' education and future opportunities.

The "Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Amendment Act of 2025" would require a 10-cent deposit on most beverage containers (bottles and cans) sold in the District of Columbia, with a refund available when empty containers are returned for recycling. The program would be managed by a nonprofit funded by beverage distributors and overseen by the Department of Energy and the Environment. The bill aims to increase recycling rates and reduce litter, citing evidence from other states where similar programs achieved return rates over 50 percent. It directly affects consumers (who pay the deposit and receive refunds) and beverage distributors (who fund the nonprofit).

This bill confirms Denise Rolark Barnes as a member of the District of Columbia Board of Library Trustees to fill a vacant seat. The resolution officially approves her appointment for the remainder of the term ending on January 5, 2031. It requires the Council to send a copy of the confirmation to both the nominee and the Mayor, with the changes taking effect immediately upon adoption.

This bill is a confirmation resolution that formally approves Ms. Mary Early, a local artist, as a new member of the District of Columbia Board of Library Trustees. It fills a vacant seat previously held by Antonio Williams and grants her a term ending on January 5, 2030. The resolution requires the Council to send a copy of the document to both the nominee and the Mayor once adopted.

This bill modernizes Washington, D.C.'s alcoholic beverage laws to support the hospitality industry, particularly in Wards 5, 7, 8, and Downtown DC. It introduces new license categories such as pop-up restaurants and outdoor activations, extends weekend operating hours until 4 a.m. in Downtown DC, and allows breweries to establish brew pubs in specific wards. The legislation also expands opportunities for returning citizens to work in alcohol establishments, clarifies rules for distillery and brewery collaborations, and updates various administrative requirements for licensing and compliance.