PR 26-0150 Legislature · 26th Council Period (2025-2026)

Short-Term Disability Insurance Benefit Protection Clarification Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

This resolution extends a temporary law (D.C. Law 25-215) that prevents private short-term disability insurance companies from reducing benefits paid to District workers who also receive benefits from the District’s Universal Paid Leave (UPL) program. It directly affects DC workers using both UPL and private short-term disability coverage, and private insurers offering such policies. The key provision clarifies that the District’s anti-offsetting rule - prohibiting insurers from reducing private benefits based on UPL entitlement - applies to all policies regardless of where they were issued, fixing an enforcement gap that previously limited the District’s ability to act against out-of-jurisdiction insurers.

Sub-Topics: Paid Leave

Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Council Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Mar 26, 2025 Signed Apr 1, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduction → Enrollment · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was converted from a proposed resolution to an enrolled resolution, indicating it has been officially adopted by the Council. The main substantive change is the addition of an extraterritoriality clause that extends the anti-offsetting protections to private short-term disability insurance policies issued outside the District, ensuring District workers receive full benefits regardless of where their insurance policy was written.

Scope change

The bill now applies to private short-term disability insurance policies issued or written in any jurisdiction, not just those issued within the District of Columbia.

ENFORCEMENT

Added an extraterritoriality clause requiring the law to apply regardless of the jurisdiction where the private market short-term disability insurance policy was written or issued, strengthening enforcement authority against out-of-state insurers.

Added new subsection (l) explicitly stating the intent to strengthen enforcement authority by including an extraterritoriality clause that applies the law regardless of policy jurisdiction.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date reference for the temporary amendment act from Council Period 24 to a specific date of September 18, 2024, and clarified the expiration date as May 1, 2025.

TECHNICAL

Converted document from 'Proposed Resolution' to 'Enrolled Resolution' with updated numbering and formatting consistent with official Council adoption procedures.

Floor votes · Council Apr 1, 2025

How they voted

12–0

Passed

Total votes 12

Apr 1, 2025

D Democratic10

10 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

Apr 1, 2025

Council · Passed

Council Vote: pass (12-0)

council

Mar 26, 2025

Introduced

PR26-0150 Introduced by Councilmember Lewis George at Office of the Secretary

legislature

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors