# District of Columbia B26-0633: Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2026 District of Columbia B26-0633, Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2026, is a Council Period 26 (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Phil Mendelson (Democratic); status became law, last action 2026-08-14 (Law L26-0153, Effective from Aug 01, 2026 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 011316, Expires on Mar 14, 2027) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/DC-B26-0633-26 - 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 B26-0633 - State: District of Columbia - Session: Council Period 26 (2025-2026) - Title: Open Meetings Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2026 - Status: became law - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-03-30 - Last action: 2026-08-14, Law L26-0153, Effective from Aug 01, 2026 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 011316, Expires on Mar 14, 2027 - Sponsor: Phil Mendelson (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (19 yes, 5 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Public bodies must arrange meeting access: benefit, low. Beginning March 29, 2026, District public bodies must make reasonable arrangements for attendance or steps allowing public viewing or listening. Those steps must aim to provide access while the meeting happens. If live viewing or listening is not technologically feasible, access must follow as soon… - Weaker meeting notice and roll-call rules: cost, low. Beginning March 29, 2026, District public bodies must attempt to provide meeting notice rather than be required to provide it. The amended urgent-matter rule applies despite the notice requirements in paragraphs (1) and (3). The supplied text does not explain those requirements further. Where the l… - Boards get more time before reporting: mixed, low. The law delays a financial reporting requirement for covered District boards and commissions until October 17, 2026. That requirement does not apply before that date. The supplied text does not state what information they must report. - District Council gets rules and exemptions: mixed, low. Beginning March 29, 2026, the District Council can adopt its own rules to meet the District's open-meetings policy. The Open Meetings Act applies unless the Council adopts those rules. An existing requirement also expands from Council meetings to meetings and gatherings of Council members. The supp… - Public bodies can close safety briefings: mixed, low. Beginning March 29, 2026, District public bodies can privately discuss and act on specific protection methods and procedures. These must address existing or potential terrorism or other serious public health and safety dangers. Private briefings can come from staff, lawyers, law enforcement, or eme… - Which District meetings must be open: mixed, low. The law takes effect March 29, 2026, and expires 225 days after taking effect. A gathering generally counts as a meeting when a quorum considers, conducts, or advises on public business, regardless of communication method. A quorum means enough members to conduct business. Chance or social gatherin… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Phil Mendelson (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-05 | House | Final Reading | pass | 11 | 2 | | | 2026-03-31 | House | First Reading | pass | 8 | 3 | 2 | ## Actions (10) - 2026-08-14: Law L26-0153, Effective from Aug 01, 2026 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 011316, Expires on Mar 14, 2027 (House) - 2026-06-18: Transmitted to Congress (House) - 2026-06-05: Act A26-0331 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 008185 (House) - 2026-05-30: Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0331 (House) - 2026-05-29: Returned from Mayor (House) - 2026-05-14: Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on May 29, 2026 (House) - 2026-05-05: Legislative Meeting (House) - 2026-03-31: Legislative Meeting (House) - 2026-03-31: Retained by the Council (House) - 2026-03-30: B26-0633 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary (House) ## Bill text - Enrollment, 2026-05-05: [PDF](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/61507/Meeting2/Enrollment/B26-0633-Enrollment1.pdf?Id=238248) - Engrossment, 2026-03-31: [PDF](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/61507/Meeting1/Engrossment/B26-0633-Engrossment1.pdf?Id=236058) - Introduced, 2026-03-30: [PDF](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/61507/Introduction/B26-0633-Introduction.pdf?Id=235160) ## 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/61507/Meeting2/Enrollment/B26-0633-Enrollment1.pdf?Id=238248) - [Engrossment (PDF)](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/61507/Meeting1/Engrossment/B26-0633-Engrossment1.pdf?Id=236058) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/61507/Introduction/B26-0633-Introduction.pdf?Id=235160) ## 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-B26-0633-26 (as of 2026-11-04).