An Act to amendment certain criminal laws applicable to the District of Columbia, and for other purposes
PL 89-347 (S.1320), enacted 11/08/1965

79 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 89-347-NOV. 8, 1965 
1307 
or State authority, and (5) has a combined capital and surplus (as 
set forth in its most recent published report of condition) of at least 
$8,000,000. If such trustee or a substitute trustee at any time ceases 
to meet the foregoing qualifications, the Secretary of Commerce shall 
disapprove such trustee or substitute trustee, and after such disap-
proval the transfer or assignment of such bond, note, or other evidence 
of indebtedness to a person not a citizen of the United States, without 
the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, shall be unlawful. If a 
bond, note, or other evidence of indebtedness which is secured by a 
mortgage of a vessel to a trustee is issued, transferred, or assigned to a 
person not a citizen of the United States in violation of this paragraph, 
the issuance, transfer, or assignment shall be void." 
SEC. 4. Bonds, notes, and other evidence of indebtedness which are t5<^d"1ilM°b 
secured by a mortgage of a vessel to a trustee or by an assignment to noncuizens. 
a trustee of the owner's right, title, or interest in a vessel under con-
struction which have heretofore been issued, transferred, or assigned, 
or are issued, transferred, or assigned within one year after the enact-
ment of this Act, to a person not a citizen of the United States without 
the approval of the Secretary of Commerce are valid in the hands of 
such person and the validity and preferred status of such mortgage 
and the validity and lawfulness of such issuance, transfer, or assign-
ment shall not be affected by such issuance, transfer, or assignment if 
the trustee or a substitute trustee is approved by the Secretary of Com-
merce within one year after enactment of this Act, under the stand-
ards for trustees specified in the amendments made by this Act to 
sections 9 and 37 of the Shipping Act, 1916, and to subsection O of the 
Ship Mortgage Act, 1920. 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter retroactively any 
Pending utiga-
riglits wliich were the subject matter of litigation pending on the date ^'°"' 
of enactment of this Act. 
Approved November 8, 1965. 
Public Law 89-347 
A N A C T 
November 8, 1965 
To amend certain criminal laws applicable to the District of Columbia, and for 
[^- ^^20] 
other puri)oses. 
District of 
Columbia. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 848 of 
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the Act entitled "An Act to establish a code of law for the District of '^"cHm^nl'i Laws. 
Columbia", approved March 3, 1901, as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 
22^03), is further amended to read as follows: 
^° ^^^^- ''^^• 
"SEC. 848. Whoever maliciously iniures or breaks or destroys, or 
Destruction o
f 
attempts to injure or break or destroy, by fire or otherwise, any public 
or private property, whether real or personal, not his own, of the value 
of $200 or more, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or shall be impris-
oned for not more than ten years, or both, and if the value of the 
property be less than $200 shall be fined not more than $1,000 or 
imprisoned for not more than one year, or both." 
SEC. 2. The first section of the Act entitled "An Act for the preser-
vation of the public peace and the protection of property in the Dis-
trict of Columbia", approved July 29, 1892, as amended (D.C. Code, 
sec. 22-3112), is further amended by striking out "destroy, injure, dis- 
34 stat. 126. 
figure, cut, chip, break," and inserting in lieu thereof "disfigure, cut, 
chip,". 
1308 
PUBLIC LAW 89-347-NOV. 8, 1965 
[79 STAT. 
Kidnaping. 
47 Stat. 858. 
Immunity priv-
ileges. 
38 Stat. 282. 
77 Stat. 617. 
Healing arts. 
Corporation 
Counsel, enforce-
ment functions. 
45 Stat. 1340. 
45 Stat. 1521. 
43 Stat. 177. 
SEC. 3. Section 812 of the Act entitled "An Act to establish a code 
of law for the District of Columbia", approved March 3, 1901, as 
amended (D.C. Code, sec. 22-2101), is further amended by striking 
out "for ransom or reward", and inserting in lieu thereof "for ransom 
or reward or otherwise, except, in the case of a minor, by a parent 
thereof,". 
SEC. 4. Section 9 of the Act entitled "An Act to enjoin and abate 
houses of lewdness, assignation, and prostitution; to declare the same 
to be nuisances; to enjoin the person or persons who conduct or main-
tain the same and the owner or agent of any building used for such 
purpose; and to assess a tax against the person maintaining such nui-
sance and against the building and owner thereof", approved February 
7, 1914, as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 22-2721), is further amended to 
read as follows: 
"SEC. 9. In any prosecution for violation of this Act or so much of 
the first section of the Act entitled 'An Act to confer concurrent 
jurisdiction on the police court of the District of Columbia in certain 
cases', approved July 16, 1912 (37 Stat. 192; D.C. Code, sec. 22-2722), 
as relates to the keeping of a bawdy or disorderly house, the court, 
upon application of the United States attorney made after such at-
torney has given notice thereof to the Corporation Counsel of the 
District of Columbia, may order any witness to testify or to produce 
evidence, or both. L^^pon such order of the court, such witness shall 
not be excused from testifying or from producing evidence on the 
ground that the testimony or evidence required of him may tend to 
incriminate him or subject him to a penalty or forfeiture. 
But no 
such witness shall be prosecuted or suDJected to any penalty or for-
feiture for or on account of any act, transaction,' matter or thing 
concerning which he has been ordered to testify or to produce evi-
dence after having claimed the privilege against self-incrimination, 
nor shall testimony or other evidence ordered to be given or produced 
under the provisions of this section be used as evidence in any criminal 
proceeding against him in any court. 
No witness shall be exempt 
under this section from prosecution for perjury or contempt com-
mitted in connection with giving testimony or producing evidenc-e 
under order of the court as provided in this section." 
SEC. 5. The last sentence of section 46 of the Healing Arts Practice 
Act, District of Columbia, 1928, as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 2-137), 
is further amended by striking out "by said United States District 
Attorney when instituted on behalf of the Commission, and" and by 
striking out "when instituted on behalf of the Commissioners of 
said District or by the major and superintendent of police of said 
District". 
SEC. 6. The fourth sentence of section 8 of the Act entitled "An 
Act to define the term 'registered nurse' and to provide for the regis-
tration of nurses in the District of Columbia", approved February 9, 
1907, as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 2-407), is amended by striking out 
"United States Attorney for the District of Columbia" and inserting 
in lieu thereof "Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia". 
SEC. 7. Section 2 of the Act entitled "An Act to regulate the prac-
tice of optometry in the District of Columbia", approved May 28,1924 
(D.C. Code, sec. 2-502), is amended by adding at the end thereof the 
following new sentence: "Prosecutions for violations of this Act shall 
be conducted in the name of the District of Columbia by the Corpora-
tion Counsel.". 
79 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 89-347-NOV. 8, 1965 
1309 
SEC. 8. Section 9 of the Act entitled "An Act to create a board of 
accountancy for the District of Columbia, and for other purposes", 
approved February 17, 1923 (D.C. Code, sec. 2-909), is amended by 
adding at the end thereof the following new sentence: "Prosecutions 
for violations of this Act shall be conducted in the name of the District 
of Columbia by the Corporation Counsel.". 
SEC. 9. (a) Sections 425 to 428, inclusive, of the Act entitled "An 
Act to revise and consolidate the statutes of the United States, general 
and permanent in their nature, relating to the District of Columbia, 
in force on the first day of December, in the year of our Lord one 
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three", approved June 22, 1874 
(D.C. Code, sees. 4—168—l7l, inclusive), are hereby repealed. 
(b) The Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia 
shall by regulation require that bonds in the amount of not more 
than $25,000 shall be furnished and kept in force by all persons 
licensed as private detectives in the District of Columbia. 
Bonds 
required by this section shall be corporate bonds and shall run to 
the District and shall be conditioned upon the observance by the 
licensed private detective and any agent, employee, or person acting 
in behalf of the licensed private detective of all laws and regulations 
in force in the District of Columbia applicable to the conduct of 
{persons licensed as private detectives. 
Such bonds shall be for the 
benefit of any person who may suffer damages as a result of violation 
of any law or regulation by or on the part of any licensed private 
detective or any agent, employee, or person acting on the behalf of 
any private detective. 
In addition to any right to any other legal 
action, any person aggrieved by the violation of any law or regulation 
by a licensed private detective may bring suit against the surety on 
a bond required by this section either alone or jointly with the prin-
cipal thereon and recover damages for such violation of law or regula-
tion in an amount not to exceed the penal amount of the bond. The 
provisions of the second, third, and fifth subparagraphs of paragraph 
(b) of the first section of the Act entitled "An Act to grant additional 
powers to the Commissioners, and for other purposes", approved 
December 20, 1944 (58 Stat. 820; sec. 1-244(b), D.C. Code), shall be 
applicable to each bond authorized by this section as if it were the 
bond authorized by the firgt subparagraph of such paragraph (b) : 
Provided^ That nothing in this subsection shall be construed to impose 
up>on the surety on any such bond a greater liability than the total 
amount thereof or the amount remaining unextinguished after any 
prior recovery or recoveries. 
SEC. 10. The last sentence of the first section of the Act entitled 
"An Act to provide for the conservation and settlement of estates of 
absentees and absconders in the District of Columbia, and for other 
purposes", approved April 8, 1935, as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 20-
701), is amended by striking out "The United States attorney in and 
for the District of Columbia" and inserting in lieu thereof "The 
Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia". 
SEC. 11. Sections 5 through 8, inclusive, and section 10 shall take 
effect thirty days from the approval of this Act, but shall not in any 
case apply to proceedings instituted prior to the approval of this Act. 
Section 9 of this Act shall take effect on the first day of the first full 
license year for licensing of private detectives and detective agencies 
prescribed by section 7 of the Act approved July 1, 1902 (32 Stat. 
622, ch. 1352), as amended (sec. 47-2301, et seq., D.C. Code), which 
begins at least ninety days after approval of this Act. 
Approved November 8, 1965. 
Accountants. 
42 Stat. 1263. 
Repeal. 
Private detec-
tives, bond re-
quirement. 
Estates of ab-
sentees, etc. 
49 Stat. 1 11; 
Ante, 
pp. 733, 785. 
Effective 
date. 
47 Stat. 550.