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Family Court of the Superior Court (as described in
section 11–1101), excluding jury trials and trials of
felony cases, as assigned by the presiding judge of
the Family Court.
‘‘(3) Subject to the rules of the Superior Court,
enter an order punishing an individual for contempt,
except that no individual may be detained pursuant
to the authority of this paragraph for longer than
180 days.
‘‘(e) LOCATION OF PROCEEDINGS.—To the maximum
extent feasible, safe, and practicable, magistrate judges of
the Family Court of the Superior Court shall conduct pro-
ceedings at locations readily accessible to the parties in-
volved.
‘‘(f) TRAINING.—The Family Court of the Superior
Court shall ensure that all magistrate judges of the Fam-
ily Court receive training to enable them to fulfill their
responsibilities, including specialized training in family
law and related matters.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—(1) Section 11–
1732(a), District of Columbia Code, is amended by insert-
ing after ‘‘the duties enumerated in subsection (j) of this
section’’ the following: ‘‘(or, in the case of magistrate
judges for the Family Court of the Superior Court, the
duties enumerated in section 11–1732A(d))’’.
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(2) Section 11–1732(c), District of Columbia Code,
is amended by striking ‘‘No individual’’ and inserting ‘‘Ex-
cept as provided in section 11–1732A(b), no individual’’.
(3) Section 11–1732(k), District of Columbia Code,
is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘subsection (j),’’ and inserting
the following: ‘‘subsection (j) (or proceedings and
hearings under section 11–1732A(d), in the case of
magistrate judges for the Family Court of the Supe-
rior Court),’’; and
(B) by inserting after ‘‘appropriate division’’
the following: ‘‘(or, in the case of an order or judg-
ment of a magistrate judge of the Family Court of
the Superior Court, by a judge of the Family
Court)’’.
(4) Section 11–1732(l), District of Columbia Code,
is amended by inserting after ‘‘responsibilities’’ the fol-
lowing: ‘‘(subject to the requirements of section 11–
1732A(f) in the case of magistrate judges of the Family
Court of the Superior Court)’’.
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
for subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 11, District of Co-
lumbia, is amended by inserting after the item relating
to section 11–1732 the following new item:
‘‘11–1732A. Special rules for magistrate judges of Family Court of the Superior
Court.’’.
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(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by
this section shall take effect on the date of the en-
actment of this Act.
(2) EXPEDITED INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
chief judge of the Superior Court of the District
of Columbia shall appoint not more than 5 indi-
viduals to serve as magistrate judges for the
Family Division of the Superior Court in ac-
cordance with the requirements of sections 11–
1732 and 11–1732A, District of Columbia Code
(as added by subsection (a)).
(B) APPOINTMENTS MADE WITHOUT RE-
GARD
TO
SELECTION
PANEL.—Sections 11–
1732(b) and 11–1732A(a), District of Columbia
Code (as added by subsection (a)) shall not
apply with respect to any magistrate judge ap-
pointed under this paragraph.
(C) PRIORITY FOR CERTAIN ACTIONS AND
PROCEEDINGS.—The chief judge of the Supe-
rior Court and the presiding judge of the Fam-
ily Division of the Superior Court (acting joint-
ly) shall first assign and transfer to the mag-
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istrate judges appointed under this paragraph
actions and proceedings described as follows:
(i) The action or proceeding involves
an allegation of abuse or neglect.
(ii) The action or proceeding was ini-
tiated in the Family Division prior to the
2-year period which ends on the date of
the enactment of this Act.
(iii) The judge to whom the action or
proceeding is assigned as of the date of the
enactment of this Act is not assigned to
the Family Division.
(3) SPECIAL
REFERENCES
DURING
TRANSI-
TION.—During the period which begins on the date
of the enactment of this Act and ends on the effec-
tive date described in section 9, any reference to the
Family Court of the Superior Court of the District
of Columbia in any provision of law added or amend-
ed by this section shall be deemed to be a reference
to the Family Division of the Superior Court of the
District of Columbia.
SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING BORDER AGREE-
MENT WITH MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA.
It is the sense of Congress that the State of Mary-
land, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the District of
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Columbia should promptly enter into a border agreement
to facilitate the timely and safe placement of children in
the District of Columbia’s welfare system in foster and
kinship homes and other facilities in Maryland and Vir-
ginia.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Dis-
trict of Columbia courts such sums as may be necessary
to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this
Act, including sums necessary for salaries and expenses
and capital improvements for the District of Columbia
courthouse facilities.
SEC. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by sections 2 and 4 shall take
effect on the first date occurring after the date of the en-
actment of this Act on which 10 individuals who meet the
qualifications described in section 11–908A, District of
Columbia Code (as added by section 3(a)) are available
to be assigned by the chief judge of the Superior Court
of the District of Columbia to serve as associate judges
of the Family Court of the Superior Court (as certified
by the chief judge).
Passed the House of Representatives September 20,
2001.
Attest:
JEFF TRANDAHL,
Clerk.