District of Columbia Bills

This bill is a procedural resolution appointing Dr. Maria J. Donoghue Velleca to fill a vacancy on the District of Columbia Judicial Disabilities and Tenure Commission. It replaces Dr. Patrick Jackson as a nonlawyer member for the remainder of an unexpired 6-year term ending May 5, 2029. The resolution formally names Dr. Velleca (a Ward 2 resident and Georgetown University professor) and directs the Council to transmit the appointment to relevant parties. As a purely administrative appointment resolution, it does not create new policy or affect legislation.

This resolution approves transferring 165,294 square feet of land and 5,653 square feet of air rights from the National Park Service to the District of Columbia. The land, part of U.S. Reservations 343-C and 343-D (also known as Lot 800 in Square 5600), will support the 11th Street Bridge Park project. The transfer is authorized under a 1932 law governing land jurisdiction in D.C. and enables the District to proceed with the elevated park connecting Washington Navy Yard to Anacostia Park.

This bill extends the deadline for disposing of District-owned property at 1351 Alabama Avenue SE (Ward 8) from two to four years, until March 2027. It amends the development agreement to require 180 affordable rental housing units (for households earning 30-60% of median income), 7,500 sq ft of daycare space, 2,000 sq ft of retail space, and 43 parking spaces. The extension is needed because a highway restriction on the property - resolved in December 2024 - delayed development progress under the original timeline. The project directly affects Ward 8 residents by creating mixed-use affordable housing with community-serving spaces.

This bill amends District of Columbia law to update acceptable forms for filing financing statements under the Uniform Commercial Code. It directly affects businesses and creditors who file security interests, as well as the Recorder of Deeds office. The key change allows the Recorder to accept financing statements using forms approved by the International Association of Commercial Administrators (IACA) or forms adopted by the Chief Financial Officer, instead of only the outdated statutory form. This resolves a conflict where filings using the old form were rejected but still legally perfected, creating uncertainty and potential liability for the District. The change aligns D.C. with how other states handle this administrative issue.

The Uniform Special Deposits Act of 2025 establishes clear rules for "special deposits" - funds held at banks for specific purposes where the beneficiary isn't determined until a future event occurs (e.g., escrow for property sales or security deposits). It clarifies how banks must handle these deposits if a depositor goes bankrupt, limits creditors' access to them, and defines when banks can use setoff against unrelated debts. This "opt-in" law directly affects banks, businesses, and individuals using special deposits for commercial, charitable, or personal purposes like escrow, tenant security, or benefit payments. It aims to reduce legal uncertainty that has limited the use of such deposits in commerce.

This bill proposes closing a section of a public alley in Square 3524, Ward 5, to enable the development of 27 new residential units (including two-family townhouses and single-family homes). The closure requires the property owner to pay $4,265 for removing street lighting and obtain District Department of Transportation approval for tree protection. The Council must approve the closure, and the bill is structured as an Emergency Act to take effect within 90 days. The land from the closed alley would become the property of the owner of Lot 53 in Square 3524.

This bill amends D.C. law to align with updated NCAA rules and a recent settlement (House v. NCAA). It directly affects college athletes and D.C. universities by removing a ban that previously prohibited institutions from providing direct payments to athletes for using their name, image, or likeness (NIL). Key changes include allowing schools to help athletes select NIL agents, arrange payments to those agents, and collect payments from third parties for NIL agreements. The amendment ensures D.C. institutions can offer the same NIL support permitted under current NCAA Bylaws and the settlement.

This bill amends the District of Columbia's Disabled Veterans Homestead Exemption law to extend the benefit to surviving spouses and domestic partners of veterans. It adds a new definition of "eligible spouse" to include those who were married to a veteran receiving the exemption or would have qualified for it. The change allows these survivors to claim the homestead exemption - which reduces property taxes - without needing to be veterans themselves. The amendment applies retroactively from October 1, 2022.

The "Vending Modernization Amendment Act of 2025" clarifies and updates Washington, D.C.'s vending regulations by defining key terms like "food truck," "mobile vending license," "sidewalk vending location," and "vendor." It requires vendors to hold specific licenses (sidewalk or mobile) and operate only at designated locations in public spaces, including roadways reserved for parking. The bill directly affects food truck operators, mobile vendors, and sidewalk vendors who sell food or goods in public areas. It standardizes licensing requirements without changing fees or creating new taxes, making the rules more explicit for both vendors and city officials.

The Vending Compliance and Modernization Amendment Act of 2025 establishes new sidewalk and mobile vending licenses to replace the current system, directly affecting food truck operators, sidewalk vendors, and other mobile food businesses. It gives the Mayor authority to set operating hours, impose fines, and tow food trucks illegally parked in prohibited areas (like crosswalks or fire hydrants) or food truck zones. The bill increases penalties for illegal vending - including misdemeanor charges and enhanced civil fines - and requires vendors to have proper authorization to operate in public spaces. It also repeals outdated vending development zones and replaces the vending site permit with a public right-of-way permit to streamline licensing.