# District of Columbia B26-0200: Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 District of Columbia B26-0200, Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025, is a Council Period 26 (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Phil Mendelson (Democratic); status became law, last action 2025-09-12 (Law L26-0024, Effective from Aug 16, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 009563, Expires on Mar 29, 2026) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0200-26 - As of: 2026-11-04 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: District of Columbia B26-0200 - State: District of Columbia - Session: Council Period 26 (2025-2026) - Title: Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-03-28 - Last action: 2025-09-12, Law L26-0024, Effective from Aug 16, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 009563, Expires on Mar 29, 2026 - Sponsor: Phil Mendelson (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (26 yes, 9 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Closed sessions for public safety threats: benefit, low. Public bodies may meet in private to plan specific methods to protect people from terrorist acts or other big health and safety dangers. Staff, lawyers, police, or emergency officials may brief them in closed session when disclosure would risk harm. The body may take action on those protection meth… - Live or prompt access to meetings: benefit, low. Public bodies must make reasonable arrangements so people can attend. They must take steps reasonably calculated to let the public watch or listen while the meeting happens. If live access is not feasible, they must provide it as soon as reasonably practicable. This temporary law expires 225 days a… - Council–Mayor meetings can be private: cost, low. Meetings between the Council and the Mayor do not have to be open if no official action is decided. They may talk privately but cannot make final decisions at the meeting. This temporary law expires 225 days after it takes effect. - Looser notice rules for urgent meetings: mixed, low. Public bodies now only have to attempt to provide meeting notice. The law also shortens and clarifies exception wording. Urgent matters can override some notice rules so action can be taken quickly. This may mean less advance notice for the public. This temporary law expires 225 days after it takes… - More government gatherings count as meetings: mixed, low. The law broadens what counts as a public meeting to include hearings, roundtables, and in-person, phone, or electronic gatherings of a quorum. Chance social events and press conferences do not count. The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council is now covered. For the Council, the term covers legislat… - Votes must be recorded, not roll call: mixed, low. Votes no longer must be taken by roll call. The law only requires that votes are recorded. This can keep a record while allowing different methods. This temporary law expires 225 days after it takes effect. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Phil Mendelson (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-06-03 | House | Final Reading | pass | 9 | 2 | 1 | | 2025-05-06 | House | Postponed to | pass | 7 | 5 | | | 2025-04-01 | House | First Reading | pass | 10 | 2 | | ## Actions (12) - 2025-09-12: Law L26-0024, Effective from Aug 16, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 009563, Expires on Mar 29, 2026 (House) - 2025-07-07: Transmitted to Congress (House) - 2025-07-04: Act A26-0086 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 007532 (House) - 2025-06-26: Returned from Mayor (House) - 2025-06-26: Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0086 (House) - 2025-06-10: Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jun 25, 2025 (House) - 2025-06-03: Legislative Meeting (House) - 2025-05-06: Legislative Meeting (House) - 2025-04-04: Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0200 Published in the District of Columbia Register (House) - 2025-04-01: Legislative Meeting (House) - 2025-04-01: Retained by the Council (House) - 2025-03-28: B26-0200 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary (House) ## Bill text - Enrollment, 2025-06-03: [PDF](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/57463/Meeting3/Enrollment/B26-0200-Enrollment1.pdf?Id=213637) - Amendment, 2025-04-01: [PDF](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/57463/Meeting1/Amendment/B26-0200-Amendment1.pdf?Id=209424) - Engrossment, 2025-04-01: [PDF](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/57463/Meeting1/Engrossment/B26-0200-Engrossment2.pdf?Id=209587) - Introduced, 2025-03-28: [PDF](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/57463/Introduction/B26-0200-Introduction.pdf?Id=209077) ## Related bills - B26-0047: Funeral Directors Licensing Reform Amendment Act of 2025 (signed) - B26-0785: Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Rental Vehicle Sales Tax Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2026 (signed) - B26-0663: Fiscal Year 2026 Revised Local Budget Temporary Act of 2026 (signed) - B26-0181: Short-Term Disability Insurance Benefit Protection Clarification Amendment Act of 2025 (signed) - B26-0735: Special Education for Young Adults in the Custody of the Department of Corrections Temporary Amendment Act of 2026 (signed) - B26-0760: Medical Cannabis Licensing and Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2026 (signed) ## Sources - [Enrollment (PDF)](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/57463/Meeting3/Enrollment/B26-0200-Enrollment1.pdf?Id=213637) - [Amendment (PDF)](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/57463/Meeting1/Amendment/B26-0200-Amendment1.pdf?Id=209424) - [Engrossment (PDF)](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/57463/Meeting1/Engrossment/B26-0200-Engrossment2.pdf?Id=209587) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/57463/Introduction/B26-0200-Introduction.pdf?Id=209077) ## Related - [B26-0047: Funeral Directors Licensing Reform Amendment Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0047-26) - [B26-0785: Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing Rental Vehicle Sales Tax Clarification Emergency Amend…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0785-26) - [B26-0663: Fiscal Year 2026 Revised Local Budget Temporary Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0663-26) - [B26-0181: Short-Term Disability Insurance Benefit Protection Clarification Amendment Act…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0181-26) - [B26-0735: Special Education for Young Adults in the Custody of the Department of Correcti…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0735-26) - [B26-0760: Medical Cannabis Licensing and Unlicensed Establishment Enforcement Clarificati…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0760-26) - [District of Columbia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/district-of-columbia/bills) - [District of Columbia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/district-of-columbia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0200-26 (as of 2026-11-04).