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119-hr-356119th CongressWALLET

District of Columbia Prosecutor Home Rule Act

Sponsored By: Representative Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

Introduced

Summary

Shifts prosecutorial authority for DC offenses to a locally designated District of Columbia prosecutor's office. This bill would make a local DC office responsible for prosecuting violations of DC laws and municipal regulations while preserving federal jurisdiction and protecting benefits for staff during the transition.

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  • DC residents and people charged with local offenses: Prosecutions for violations of DC ordinances, municipal regulations, and DC penal statutes that act like local police rules would be brought in the name of the District by the head of the designated local prosecutor's office. This changes who files and leads local cases.
  • The designated local prosecutor's office: Would become the primary, exclusive authority for prosecuting covered DC offenses once a local law designates that office and after a one-year transition period.
  • Current employees of the U.S. Attorney's Office who join the local office: Would continue to be treated as federal employees for purposes of health insurance, retirement, and other federal benefits, and the local office would be treated as their employing agency for those benefits.
  • U.S. Attorney and federal government: Retains authority to prosecute violations of United States law, so federal crimes remain under federal jurisdiction.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

D.C. prosecutor staff keep federal benefits

If enacted, employees of the U.S. Attorney for D.C. who move to the new local prosecutor’s office would keep federal retirement and other federal employee benefits. To qualify, you must be employed by the U.S. Attorney the day before the transition date and stay employed by the designated local office. The local office would be treated as your employing agency for those federal benefits.

Local D.C. office handles prosecutions

If enacted, most prosecutions for D.C. ordinances and similar local offenses would be brought in the name of the District by the locally designated prosecutor’s office. This would not change federal authority over U.S. law cases handled by the U.S. Attorney or the Attorney General. It would take effect only for violations that occur after a one-year period that starts when a D.C. law naming the local office takes effect. Any D.C. law that says otherwise would still control.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

DC • D

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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