Title 1, Government Organization.

(a) The Board shall consist of 5 members, no more than 3 of whom shall be of the same political party, appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Council. Members shall be appointed to serve for terms of 6 years, except the members first appointed. Of the members …

(a) The Board shall hold regular monthly meetings in accordance with a schedule to be established by the Board. Additional meetings may be called as needed by the Board. (b) The Board shall provide notice of meetings and shall conduct its meetings in compliance with subchapter IV…

(a) Each member of the Board, excluding the Chairperson, shall receive compensation, as provided in § 1-611.08, while actually in the service of the Board, for a sum not to exceed $12,500 per annum. (b) The Chairperson of the Board shall receive compensation, as provided in § 1-6…

There is established within the Board an Office of Government Ethics. The Office of Government Ethics shall be headed by the Director of Government Ethics, who shall report directly to the Board.

There is established within the Board an Office of Open Government to promote open governance in the District. The Office of Open Government shall be headed by the Director of Open Government, who shall report directly to the Board.

(a) The Director of Open Government shall: (1) Issue advisory opinions pursuant to § 2-579(g); (2) Provide training related to the Open Meetings Act pursuant to § 2-580; and (3) Pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, issue rules to implement the provisions of the Open …

(a)(1) The Board shall select, employ, and fix the compensation for a Director of Government Ethics, a Director of Open Government, and such staff as the Board considers necessary, subject to the pay limitations of § 1-611.16. The Director of Government Ethics and the Director of…

(a) The Director of Government Ethics and the Director of Open Government, with approval by the Board, shall prepare and submit to the Mayor, for inclusion in the annual budget of the District of Columbia under part D of subchapter IV of Chapter 2 of this title [§ 1-204.41 et seq…

(a) A majority of the sitting members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. (b) The Board may delegate to an individual member or to the Director of Government Ethics its power to investigate or hold a hearing.

(a) The Board, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2 [§ 2-501 et seq.], shall issue rules to implement the provisions of this subchapter, including rules for the administration of preliminary investigations, formal investigations, and hearings related to violations of …

(a) There is established as a special fund the Ethics Fund ("Fund"), which shall be administered by the Board in accordance with this section. (b) Revenue from the following sources shall be deposited into the Fund: (1) All fines collected under § 1-1162.21 and part E of this sub…

(a) There is established as a special fund the Open Government Fund ("Fund"), which shall be administered by the Board in accordance with this section. (b) Revenue from the following sources shall be deposited into the Fund: (1) All fines, costs, and fees collected pursuant to § …

The Director of Government Ethics, approved by the Board, shall have the power to: (1) Require any person to submit, within a reasonable period and under oath or otherwise as the Director of Government Ethics may determine, written reports and answers to questions that the Direct…

(a) The Director of Government Ethics shall conduct a preliminary investigation of a possible violation of the Code of Conduct or of this subchapter brought to the attention of the Director of Government Ethics or the Board through the following sources: (1) The media; (2) A tip …

(a) A formal investigation shall be initiated upon: (1) Receipt of a written complaint transmitted to the Board; (2) A finding by the Office of the Inspector General or District of Columbia Auditor of waste, fraud, abuse of government resources, or a violation of the Code of Cond…

(a)(1) After determining that there is reason to believe a violation has occurred based upon the presentation of evidence by the Director of Government Ethics pursuant to § 1-1162.12(b) or § 1-1162.13(e), the Board shall conduct an open and adversarial hearing at which the Direct…

(a) Following the presentation of evidence to the Board by the Director of Government Ethics in an adversary proceeding and an open hearing, the Board may take one or more of the following actions: (1) Levy a penalty in accordance with § 1-1162.21; (2) Refer the matter to the pro…

(a) The Board may dismiss, at any stage of the proceedings, any claim, complaint, request for investigation, investigation, or portion of an investigation that the Board finds to be without merit. (b) The Board may require a person who made or caused to be made a claim, complaint…

Appeals of any order or fine made by the Board in accordance with this subchapter shall be made to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

The Superior Court of the District of Columbia may, upon petition by the Board, in case of refusal to obey a subpoena or order of the Board issued under § 1-1162.11(3), issue an order requiring compliance; and any failure to obey the order of the court may be treated by the court…

(a) Upon application made by an employee or public official subject to the Code of Conduct, the Director of Government Ethics shall, within a reasonable period of time, provide an advisory opinion as to whether a specific transaction or activity inquired of would constitute a vio…

(a) The Director of Government Ethics shall produce a quarterly report detailing: (1) The posture of each complaint it received, including whether an investigation was initiated, is ongoing, or has concluded; (2) The referrals made to and from the Board; (3) Fines and penalties i…

(a)(1) In accordance with paragraph (2) of this subsection and except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the Board may assess a civil penalty for a violation of the Code of Conduct of not more than $5,000 per violation, or 3 times the amount of an unlawful contributio…

(a) In addition to the penalties set forth in § 1-1162.21, the Board may censure a public official for a violation of the Code of Conduct that the Board finds to substantially threaten the public trust. (b) The Board may recommend in such censure that the Council suspend or remov…

(a) No employee shall use his or her official position or title, or personally and substantially participate, through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or otherwise, in a judicial or other proceeding, application, request for…

(a) An employee may provide legal representation in proceedings before any District of Columbia court, District of Columbia agency, federal court, or federal agency, if: (1) The matter does not involve a claim against the District of Columbia; (2) The District of Columbia or, in …

(a)(1) Public officials, except Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners and candidates for election to public office, who are not otherwise required to file pursuant to this paragraph, shall file with the Board a public report containing a full and complete statement of: (A) The name…

(a)(1) Each employee, other than a public official or a Council employee, who advises, makes decisions or participates substantially in areas of contracting, procurement, administration of grants or subsidies, developing policies, land-use planning, inspecting, licensing, policy-…

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, neither the Mayor, the Attorney General, the Chairman of the Council, nor any member of the Council or of the State Board of Education, nor any member of his or her immediate family, shall receive honoraria exceed…

*NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on November 11, 2026. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation affecting this section, click this link: Permanent Version.* (a) Except as prov…

*NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on November 11, 2026. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation affecting this section, click this link: Permanent Version.* (a) A person need …

(a) Each registrant shall file a registration form with the Director of Government Ethics, signed under oath, on or before January 15th of each year, or no later than 15 days after becoming a lobbyist (and on or before January 15th of each year thereafter). If the registrant is n…

(a) Each registrant shall file with the Director of Government Ethics between the 1st and 15th day of January, April, July, and October of each year a report signed under oath concerning the registrant's lobbying activities during the previous quarter. If the registrant is not an…

(a) No registrant or anyone acting on behalf of a registrant shall offer, give, or cause to be given a gift or service to an official in the legislative or executive branch or a member of his or her staff that exceeds $100 in value in the aggregate in any calendar year. This sect…

*NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on November 11, 2026. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation affecting this section, click this link: Permanent Version.* (a) Notwithstandin…

This subchapter may be cited as the “Campaign Finance Act of 2011”.

(a) There is established the Campaign Finance Board, whose purpose shall be to: (1) Appoint a Director of Campaign Finance, who shall: (A) Serve at the pleasure of the Campaign Finance Board; and (B) Be compensated at the maximum rate for Grade 16 of the District Schedule, pursua…

(a)(1) The Campaign Finance Board shall consist of 5 members, no more than 3 of whom shall be of the same political party, appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council. (2) Members shall be appointed to serve for terms of 6 years, except the members first app…

(a) In the performance of its duties, or in matters of procurement, the Campaign Finance Board shall not be subject to the direction of any nonjudicial officer of the District, except as provided in the Merit Personnel Act. (b) The District government shall furnish to the Campaig…

(a)(1) The Director of Campaign Finance, under regulations approved by the Campaign Finance Board, shall have the power: (A) To require any person to submit in writing reports and answers to questions as the Director of Campaign Finance may prescribe relating to the administratio…

The Director of Campaign Finance shall: (1) Develop and furnish prescribed forms, materials, and electronic formats or mediums, including electronic or digital signatures, for persons to make the reports and statements required to be filed with the Director of Campaign Finance pu…

On or after April 27, 2012, the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics established under subchapter I of Chapter 10 of this title 1 [§ 1-1001.01 et seq.]. shall be known as the District of Columbia Board of Elections and shall have the powers, duties, and functions as…

(a)(1) On its own initiative, or upon receiving a request from a person listed below and within a reasonable time after its receipt, the Campaign Finance Board shall provide an advisory opinion regarding compliance with this chapter: (A) A public official; (B) A political committ…

Political committees, political action committees, and independent expenditure committees shall be subject to the following requirements: (1) Each committee shall file with the Director of Campaign Finance a statement of organization within 10 days after its organization. The sta…

(a) Each committee and each candidate accepting contributions or making expenditures, shall designate in the registration statement required under § 1-1163.07 or § 1-1163.12, one or more national banks located in the District of Columbia as the depository or depositories of that …

(a) The following individuals shall file with the Director of Campaign Finance, and with the principal campaign committee, if applicable, reports of receipts and expenditures on forms to be prescribed or approved by the Director of Campaign Finance: (1) The treasurer of each poli…