# District of Columbia B26-0307: Open Meetings Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 District of Columbia B26-0307, Open Meetings Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025, is a Council Period 26 (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Phil Mendelson (Democratic); status became law, last action 2025-07-22 (Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0110, Expires on Oct 20, 2025) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0307-26 - 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 B26-0307 - State: District of Columbia - Session: Council Period 26 (2025-2026) - Title: Open Meetings Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-06-30 - Last action: 2025-07-22, Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0110, Expires on Oct 20, 2025 - Sponsor: Phil Mendelson (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 1 (12 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Live or prompt public access to meetings: benefit, low. Public bodies must let the public watch or listen while meetings happen. If live access is not possible, they must provide access as soon as reasonably practicable after. Bodies must also make reasonable arrangements to accommodate the public’s right to attend or view. Beginning July 5, 2025, these… - Clearer rules for public meetings: mixed, low. The law clarifies what counts as a meeting. For most public bodies, any quorum talking, gathering facts, taking testimony, or voting on public business counts, in person or online. It excludes chance or social gatherings and press conferences, unless used to dodge the law. It adds the Criminal Just… - Closed sessions allowed for security risks: mixed, low. Public bodies may meet in private to discuss or act on methods to protect against terrorism or other serious dangers. They may receive briefings from staff, lawyers, law enforcement, or emergency officials. This applies only when sharing details would endanger the public or the body. Beginning July… - Council meeting rules and carve-outs: mixed, low. The DC Council may adopt its own rules to meet open-meetings policy for gatherings of councilmembers. Until then, this law applies to the Council. Meetings between councilmembers and the Mayor are not covered if no official action is decided. Beginning July 5, 2025, these rules apply for up to 90 d… - Looser notice rules for urgent business: mixed, low. Public bodies now must attempt to give meeting notice, not guarantee it. They may consider urgent matters without following some normal notice rules. This speeds action in emergencies but can reduce advance notice to the public. Beginning July 5, 2025, these rules apply for up to 90 days under the… - Modernized vote recording at meetings: mixed, low. Votes must be recorded, but not necessarily by roll call. This lets public bodies use other ways to show how members voted. Beginning July 5, 2025, this rule applies for up to 90 days under the emergency act. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Phil Mendelson (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-07-01 | House | Final Reading, CC | pass | 12 | 0 | | ## Actions (7) - 2025-07-22: Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0110, Expires on Oct 20, 2025 (House) - 2025-07-18: Act A26-0110 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 008018, Expires on Oct 20, 2025 (House) - 2025-07-15: Returned from Mayor (House) - 2025-07-07: Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jul 21, 2025 (House) - 2025-07-01: Legislative Meeting (House) - 2025-07-01: Retained by the Council (House) - 2025-06-30: B26-0307 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary (House) ## Bill text - Enrollment, 2025-07-01: [PDF](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/58064/Meeting1/Enrollment/B26-0307-Enrollment1.pdf?Id=216452) - Introduced, 2025-06-30: [PDF](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/58064/Introduction/B26-0307-Introduction.pdf?Id=216065) ## 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/58064/Meeting1/Enrollment/B26-0307-Enrollment1.pdf?Id=216452) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/58064/Introduction/B26-0307-Introduction.pdf?Id=216065) ## 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-B26-0307-26 (as of 2026-11-04).