District of Columbia Legislative Home Rule Act

Bill: 119-hr-214
Sponsor: full_name: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC]
Introduced: 2025-01-06
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional oversight

District of Columbia

Intergovernmental relations

Legislative rules and procedure

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2025-01-06
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-01-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>District of Columbia Legislative Home Rule Act</strong></p><p>This bill eliminates the authority of Congress to nullify recently enacted laws of the District of Columbia (DC).</p><p>Current law generally provides Congress with a 30-day period in which to review and nullify measures enacted by the DC Council (60 days for measures involving criminal law).&nbsp;An enacted measure is nullified if Congress passes and&nbsp;the President signs a joint resolution of disapproval. If there is no congressional action during the review period, the measure becomes law.</p><p>The bill eliminates this&nbsp;congressional review period and process.</p>

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 214 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 6, 2025 Ms. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform , and in addition to the Committee on Rules , 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 amend the District of Columba Home Rule Act to eliminate the Congressional review period for District of Columbia acts.

1. Short title; references in Act (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the District of Columbia Legislative Home Rule Act . (b) References in Act Except as may otherwise be provided, whenever in this Act an amendment is expressed in terms of an amendment to or repeal of a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to that section or other provision of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. 2. Elimination of Congressional review period for District of Columbia acts (a) In general Section 602 (sec. 1–206.02, D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking subsection (c). (b) Congressional resolutions of disapproval (1) In general Section 604 (sec. 1–206.04, D.C. Official Code) is repealed. (2) Clerical amendment The table of contents is amended by striking the item relating to section 604. (3) Exercise of rulemaking power This subsection and the amendments made by this subsection are enacted by Congress— (A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives and the Senate, respectively, and as such they shall be considered as a part of the rules of each House, respectively, or of that House to which they specifically apply, and such rules shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent therewith; and (B) with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change such rules (so far as relating to such House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of such House. (c) Conforming amendments (1) District of Columbia Home Rule Act (A) Section 303 (sec. 1–203.03, D.C. Official Code) is amended— (i) in subsection (a), by striking the second sentence; and (ii) by striking subsection (b) and redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (b) and (c). (B) Section 404 (sec. 1–204.04, D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking subject to the provisions of section 602(c) each place it appears in subsections (e) and (f). (C) Section 446 (sec. 1–204.46, D.C. Official Code) is amended— (i) in subsection (a), by striking the third sentence; and (ii) in paragraph (1) of subsection (c), by striking and such act has been transmitted by the Chairman to the Congress and has completed the review process under section 602(c)(3) . (D) Section 462 (sec. 1–204.62, D.C. Official Code) is amended— (i) in subsection (a), by striking (a) The Council and inserting The Council ; and (ii) by striking subsections (b) and (c). (E) Section 472(d)(1) (sec. 1–204.72(d)(1), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking Notwithstanding section 602(c)(1), any act of the Council and inserting Any act of the Council . (F) Section 475(e)(1) (sec. 1–204.75(e)(1), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking Notwithstanding section 602(c)(1), any act of the Council and inserting Any act of the Council . (2) Other laws (A) Section 2(b)(1) of Amendment No. 1 (relating to initiative and referendum) to title IV (the District Charter) (sec. 1–204.102(b)(1), D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking the appropriate custodian and all that follows through portion of such act to . (B) Section 5 of Amendment No. 1 (relating to initiative and referendum) to title IV (the District Charter) (sec. 1–204.105, D.C. Official Code) is amended by striking , and such act and all that follows and inserting a period. 3. Effective date The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to each act of the District of Columbia— (1) passed by the Council of the District of Columbia and signed by the Mayor of the District of Columbia; (2) vetoed by the Mayor and repassed by the Council; (3) passed by the Council and allowed to become effective by the Mayor without the Mayor’s signature; or (4) in the case of initiated acts and acts subject to referendum, ratified by a majority of the registered qualified electors voting on the initiative or referendum, on or after the first day of the One Hundred Nineteenth Congress.