SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘District of Columbia 
Judicial Financial Transparency Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR 
JUDGES OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS DESCRIBED.—Section 11–1530, 
D.C. Official Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 11–1530. Financial statements 
‘‘(a) Pursuant to such rules as the Commission shall 
promulgate, each judge of the District of Columbia courts 
shall, within 1 year following the date of enactment of the 
District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 1970 
and at least annually thereafter, file with the Commission 
a report containing the following information: 
‘‘(1)(A) The source, type and amount of the 
judge’s income which exceeds $200 (other than in-
come from the United States government and in-
come referred to in subparagraph (C)) for the period 
covered by the report. 
‘‘(B) The source and type of the judge’s 
spouse’s income which exceeds $1,000 (other than 
income from the United States government and in-
come referred to in subparagraph (C)) for the period 
covered by the report. 
‘‘(C) The source and type of income which con-
sists of dividends, rents, interest, and capital gains
received by the judge and the judge’s spouse during 
such period which exceeds $200 in amount or value, 
and an indication of which of the following cat-
egories the amount or value of such item of income 
is within— 
‘‘(i) not more than $1,000; 
‘‘(ii) greater than 1,000 but not more than 
$2,500; 
‘‘(iii) greater than $2,500 but not more 
than $5,000; 
‘‘(iv) greater than $5,000 but not more 
than $15,000; 
‘‘(v) greater than $15,000 but not more 
than $50,000; 
‘‘(vi) greater than $50,000 but not more 
than $100,000; 
‘‘(vii) greater than $100,000 but not more 
than $1,000,000; 
‘‘(viii) greater than $1,000,000 but not 
more than $5,000,000; or 
‘‘(ix) greater than $5,000,000. 
‘‘(2) The name and address of each private 
foundation or eleemosynary institution, and of each 
business or professional corporation, firm, or enter-
prise in which the judge was an officer, director, 
proprietor, or partner during such period. 
‘‘(3) The identity and category of value (as set 
forth in subsection (b)) of each liability of $10,000 
or more owed by the judge or by the judge and the 
judge’s spouse jointly at any time during such pe-
riod. 
‘‘(4) The source and value of all gifts in the ag-
gregate amount or value of $250 or more from any 
single source received by the judge during such pe-
riod, except gifts from the judge’s spouse or any of 
the judge’s children or parents. 
‘‘(5) The identity of each trust in which the 
judge held a beneficial interest having a value of 
$10,000 or more at any time during such period, 
and in the case of any trust in which the judge held 
any beneficial interest during such period, the iden-
tity, if known, of each interest in real or personal 
property in which the trust held a beneficial interest 
having a value of $10,000 or more at any time dur-
ing such period. If the judge cannot obtain the iden-
tity of the trust interest, the judge shall request the 
trustee to report that information to the Commis-
sion.
‘‘(6) The identity and category of value (as set 
forth in subsection (b)) of each interest in real or 
personal property having a value of $10,000 or more 
which the judge owned at any time during such pe-
riod. 
‘‘(7) The amount or value and source of each 
honorarium of $250 or more received by the judge 
and the judge’s spouse during such period. 
‘‘(8) The source and amount of all money, other 
than that received from the United States govern-
ment, received in the form of an expense account or 
as reimbursement for expenditures from any source 
aggregating more than $250 during such period. 
‘‘(9) The source and amount of all waivers or 
partial waivers of fees or charges accepted by the 
judge on behalf of the judge or the judge’s spouse, 
domestic partner, or guest during such period. 
‘‘(b) For purposes of paragraphs (3) and (6) of sub-
section (a), the categories of value set forth in this sub-
section are— 
‘‘(1) not more than $15,000; 
‘‘(2) greater than $15,000 but not more than 
$50,000; 
‘‘(3) greater than $50,000 but not more than 
$100,000;
‘‘(4) greater than $100,000 but not more than 
$250,000; 
‘‘(5) greater than $250,000 but not more than 
$500,000; 
‘‘(6) greater than $500,000 but not more than 
$1,000,000; 
‘‘(7) greater than $1,000,000 but not more 
than $5,000,000; 
‘‘(8) greater than $5,000,000 but not more 
than $25,000,000; 
‘‘(9) greater than $25,000,000 but not more 
than $50,000,000; and 
‘‘(10) greater than $50,000,000. 
‘‘(c)(1) Reports filed pursuant to this section shall, 
upon written request, and notice to the reporting judge 
for purposes of making an application to the Commission 
for a redaction pursuant to paragraph (2), be made avail-
able for public inspection and copying within a reasonable 
time after filing and during the period they are kept by 
the Commission (in accordance with rules promulgated by 
the Commission), and shall be kept by the Commission 
for not less than 3 years. 
‘‘(2) This section does not require the public avail-
ability of reports filed by a judge if upon application by 
the reporting judge, a finding is made by the Commission
that revealing personal and sensitive information could en-
danger that judge or a family member of that judge, ex-
cept that a report may be redacted pursuant to this para-
graph only— 
‘‘(A) to the extent necessary to protect the indi-
vidual who filed the report or a family member of 
that individual; and 
‘‘(B) for as long as the danger to such indi-
vidual exists. 
‘‘(d) The intentional failure by a judge of a District 
of Columbia court to file a report required by this section, 
or the filing of a fraudulent report, shall constitute willful 
misconduct in office and shall be grounds for removal from 
office under section 11–1526(a)(2).’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to reports filed 
under section 11–1530, D.C. Official Code, that cover pe-
riods beginning during or after 2016. 
SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF PROBATE DIVISION TO USE MAG-
ISTRATE JUDGES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 11–1732(j)(5), District of 
Columbia Official Code, is amended by striking ‘‘Family 
Divisions’’ and inserting ‘‘Probate Divisions, and the 
Family Court,’’.
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
Section 11–1732(j)(4)(A), District of Columbia Official 
Code, is amended by striking ‘‘Family Division’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Family Court’’. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORITY OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS TO 
ACCEPT CERTAIN TYPES OF PAYMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 17 of 
title 11, District of Columbia Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 11–1748. Authority of courts to accept certain 
types of payments 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the term ‘elec-
tronic funds transfer’— 
‘‘(1) means a transfer of funds, other than a 
transaction by check, draft, or similar paper instru-
ment, that is initiated through an electronic ter-
minal, telephone, or computer or magnetic tape for 
the purpose of ordering, instructing, or authorizing 
a financial institution to debit or credit an account; 
and 
‘‘(2) includes point of sale transfers, automated 
teller machine transfers, direct deposit or withdrawal 
of funds, transfers initiated by telephone, and trans-
fers resulting from debit card transactions.
‘‘(b) AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CREDIT CARD PAY-
MENTS AND ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The District of Columbia 
courts may accept payment of fines, fees, escrow 
payments, restitution, bonds, and other payments to 
the courts by credit card or electronic funds trans-
fer. 
‘‘(2) USE OF VENDORS AND THIRD PARTY PRO-
VIDERS.—The Executive officer— 
‘‘(A) may contract with a bank or credit 
card vendor, or other third party provider, for 
purposes of accepting payments by credit card 
or electronic funds transfer; and 
‘‘(B) shall make every effort to find the 
lowest cost vendor for purposes of accepting 
such payments. 
‘‘(3) RESPONSIBILITY
FOR
PAYING
FEES.— 
Under any contract entered into under paragraph 
(2), the person making the payment shall be respon-
sible for covering any fee or charge associated or im-
posed with respect to the method of payment. 
‘‘(4) COMPLETION OF PAYMENT.—If a person 
elects to make a payment to the District of Colum-
bia courts by a method authorized under paragraph
(1), the payment shall not be deemed to be made 
until the courts receive the funds. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CHECKS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The District of Columbia 
courts may accept payment of fines, fees, escrow 
payments, restitution, bonds, and other payments to 
the courts by check. 
‘‘(2) USE OF CHECK GUARANTEE VENDOR.— 
The Executive Officer— 
‘‘(A) may contract with a check guarantee 
vendor for purposes of accepting payments by 
check; and 
‘‘(B) shall make every effort to find the 
lowest cost vendor for purposes of accepting 
such payments. 
‘‘(3) RESPONSIBILITY
FOR
PAYING
FEES.— 
Under any contract entered into under paragraph 
(2), the person making the payment by check shall 
be responsible for covering any fee or charge associ-
ated or imposed with respect to the method of pay-
ment. 
‘‘(d) LIABILITY FOR NON-PAYMENT.—If a check or 
other method of payment, including payment by credit 
card, debit card, or charge card, so received is not duly 
paid, or is paid and subsequently charged back to the Dis-
trict of Columbia courts, the person by whom such check 
or other method of payment has been tendered shall re-
main liable for the payment, to the same extent as if such 
check or other method of payment had not been ten-
dered.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
The table of sections for subchapter III of chapter 17 of 
title 11, District of Columbia Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘11–1748. Authority of courts to accept certain types of payments.’’. 
SEC. 5. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM AMOUNT IN CONTROVERSY 
PERMITTED FOR CASES UNDER JURISDIC-
TION OF SMALL CLAIMS AND CONCILIATION 
BRANCH OF SUPERIOR COURT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 11–1321, District of Co-
lumbia Official Code, is amended by striking ‘‘$5,000’’ 
and inserting ‘‘$10,000’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to any case filed in the Superior 
Court of the District of Columbia on or after the date of 
enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO APPROVE COMPENSATION OF AT-
TORNEYS IN EXCESS OF MAXIMUM AMOUNT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) CRIMINAL DEFENSE APPOINTMENTS.—Sec-
tion 11–2604(c), District of Columbia Official Code,
is amended by striking the last sentence and insert-
ing the following: ‘‘Each chief judge may delegate 
such approval authority to an active or senior judge 
in the court in which the chief judge sits.’’. 
(2) CHILD
ABUSE
AND
NEGLECT
APPOINT-
MENTS.—Section 16–2326.01(f), District of Colum-
bia Official Code, is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘(f)(1)’’ and inserting 
‘‘(f)’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (2); and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘Each chief judge may delegate such approval 
authority to an active or senior judge in the 
court in which the chief judge sits.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to any case or pro-
ceeding initiated on or after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 22, 
2016. 
Attest: 
Clerk.