I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5290 
To provide that, for purposes of certain Federal privacy laws, agencies of 
the District of Columbia are treated as Federal agencies, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 3, 2019 
Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide that, for purposes of certain Federal privacy 
laws, agencies of the District of Columbia are treated 
as Federal agencies, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as ‘‘The District of Columbia 
Returning Citizens Coordination Act of 2019’’. 
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SEC. 2. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AGENCIES TO BE TREATED 
AS FEDERAL AGENCIES FOR PURPOSES OF 
CERTAIN PRIVACY LAWS. 
For purposes of a provision of law set forth in section 
3, to the extent that such provision of law applies to any 
communication for purposes of providing public benefits 
or services to any person resuming or commencing resi-
dence in the District of Columbia (including any person 
resuming or commencing residence in the District of Co-
lumbia upon release from any term of imprisonment) be-
tween— 
(1) the Director of the Bureau of Prisons and 
any agency of the District of Columbia; or 
(2) the Director of the Court Services and Of-
fender Supervision Agency for the District of Colum-
bia and any agency of the District of Columbia, 
the agency of the District of Columbia shall be treated 
as a Federal agency for purposes of such provision of law. 
SEC. 3. PROVISIONS OF LAW DESCRIBED. 
The provisions of law set forth in this section are as 
follows: 
(1) Title II of the Health Insurance Portability 
and Accountability Act of 1996 (including parts 160 
and 165 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations). 
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(2) Section 543 of the Public Health Service 
Act (including part 2 of title 42, Code of Federal 
Regulations). 
(3) Section 552a of title 5, United States Code 
(commonly referred to as the ‘‘Privacy Act’’). 
(4) Any other provision of law setting forth 
substantially similar protections for the privacy of 
information. 
SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this Act may be construed to expand the 
authority of the Director of the Bureau of Prisons or the 
Director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision 
Agency for the District of Columbia to disclose informa-
tion to any law enforcement officer. 
SEC. 5. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COUNCIL. 
For purposes of this Act, the Council of the District 
of Columbia shall be considered an agency of the District 
of Columbia. 
SEC. 6. APPLICATION OF PRIVACY ACT. 
A communication under this Act shall be deemed to 
be a lawful disclosure under section 552a(b)(7) of title 5, 
United States Code. 
Æ 
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