2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 5 - Police, Firefighters, Medical Examiner, and Forensic Sciences › Chapter 3A - First Amendment Rights and Police Standards › Subchapter I - First Amendment Assemblies › § 5–331.02. Definitions

§ 5–331.02. Definitions.
*NOTE: This section includes amendments by temporary legislation that will expire on March 29, 2024. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation, click this link: Permanent Version.*
For the purposes of this subchapter, the term:
(1) "Chemical irritant" means tear gas or any chemical that can rapidly produce sensory irritation or disabling physical effects in humans, which disappear within a short time following termination of exposure, or any substance prohibited by the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, effective April 29, 1997.
(2) “First Amendment assembly” means a demonstration, rally, parade, march, picket line, or other similar gathering conducted for the purpose of persons expressing their political, social, or religious views.
(3) "Less-lethal projectiles" means any munition that may cause bodily injury or death through the transfer of kinetic energy and blunt force trauma. The term "less-lethal projectiles" includes rubber or foam-covered bullets and stun grenades.
(4) "Less-lethal weapons" means:
(A) Chemical irritants; and
(B) Less-lethal projectiles.
(5) “MPD” means the Metropolitan Police Department.
(Apr. 13, 2005, D.C. Law 15-352, § 102, 52 DCR 2296; Apr. 21, 2023, D.C. Law 24-345, § 121(a), 70 DCR 7904; Aug. 17, 2023, D.C. Law 25-41, § 3(a), 70 DCR 9042.)
Emergency Legislation
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Technical Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 (D.C. Act 25-197, July 27, 2023, 70 DCR 10742).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Technical Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 (D.C. Act 25-115, May 24, 2023, 70 DCR 7944).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 119(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 (D.C. Act 25-61, Mar. 24, 2023, 70 DCR 3820).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 121(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-454, June 28, 2022, 69 DCR 007767).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 121(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-370, Apr. 7, 2022, 0 DCR 0).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 121(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-128, July 29, 2021, 68 DCR 007656).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 121(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-76, May 3, 2021, 68 DCR 004935).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 121(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-437, Oct. 28, 2020, 67 DCR 12993).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 121(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-336, July 22, 2020, 67 DCR 9148).
Temporary Legislation
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Technical Temporary Amendment Act of 2023 (D.C. Law 25-41, Aug. 17, 2023, 70 DCR 9042).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 121(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-149, Aug. 12, 2022, 69 DCR 007767).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 121(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Law 24-23, Sept. 3, 2021, 68 DCR 005837).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 121(a) of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-151, Dec. 3, 2020, 67 DCR 9920).