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2 Councilmember Anita Bonds Chairman Phil Mendelson
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6 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Brooke Pinto
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11 A BILL
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13 _________________________
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15 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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17 _________________________
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20 To amend Section 2800 of Title 20 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to
21 regulate amplified sound in the public space, and to update the required specifications for sound-
22 level meters to modern standards.
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24 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
25 act may be cited as the “Amplified Sound Mitigation Act of 2024”.
26 Sec. 2. Title 20, Section 2800 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (20
27 DCMR § 2800 et seq.), is amended as follows:
28 (a) Subsection 2800.1 is amended to read as follows:
29 “2800.1. Noise resulting from musical instruments, loudspeakers, sound amplifiers, or
30 other electronically amplified sound, including those installed in motor vehicles, shall not exceed
31 the maximum noise levels contained in this section.”.
32 (b) A new subsection 2800.2A (20 DCMR § 2800.2A) is added to read as follows:
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33 “2800.2A. It shall be unlawful for any person to make, operate, use, or play any
34 electronically amplified sound in a public space that, when measured by a sound-level meter
35 pursuant to 20 DCMR § 2901.3, exceeds the lesser of:
36 (1) 55 decibels, measured inside of the nearest residential unit an enforcement
37 officer is given permission to enter;
38 (2) 65 decibels, measured inside the nearest enclosed commercial establishment;
39 or,
40 (3) 95 decibels, measured at the source of amplification.
41 (b) A new subsection 2800.2B (20 DCMR § 2800.2B) is added to read as follows:
42 “2800.2B. (a)(1) Any person who violates 20 DCMR § 2800 and continues or resumes
43 the violation after receiving a verbal warning shall be issued a notice of civil infraction and
44 punished by a fine of up to three hundred dollars ($300).
45 “(2)(A) A person who violates 20 DCMR § 2800 in the presence of an
46 enforcement officer shall identify himself or herself at the direction of the officer by giving his or
47 her legal name and current address. If the person refuses to provide his or her legal name and
48 current address, or if the enforcement officer has reason to believe that the person is providing an
49 incorrect name or address, the enforcement officer may request that the person provide
50 reasonable identification. Upon request of the enforcement officer, the person shall produce
51 reasonable identification.
52 (B) If a person refuses to produce reasonable identification pursuant to
53 subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the enforcement officer may not make an arrest but may
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54 detain the person for a period of time not longer than is reasonably necessary to identify the
55 person for purposes of issuing a notice of a civil infraction.
56 “(3) For purposes of this subsection, the term:
57 “(A) “Detain” means to verbally order a person to remain at his or her
58 current location or a nearby location specified by the enforcement officer.
59 “(B) “Enforcement officer” means a person authorized to enforce the
60 provisions of 20 DCMR § 2800.
61 “(C) “Reasonable identification” means any form of identification that
62 includes a person’s legal name and current address.”.
63 (c) A new subsection 2800.2C (20 DCMR § 2800.2C) is added to read as follows:
64 “2800.2C. A person who receives a first verbal warning must be given reasonable time to
65 abate the infraction and test equipment to ensure compliance with this section.”.
66 (d) A new subsection 2800.2D (20 DCMR § 2800.2D) is added to read as follows:
67 “2800.2D In the event of any violation of, or failure to comply with this section, each and
68 every day of the violation shall constitute a separate offense, and the penalties described in this
69 section shall be applicable to each separate offense.”.
70 (e) A new subsection 2800.2E (20 DCMR § 2800.2E) is added to read as follows:
71 “2800.2E. The recipient of any fine issued pursuant to this section shall be proactively
72 offered the ability to enter into a payment plan pursuant to §1-2806.”.
73 (f) A new subsection 2800.2F (20 DCMR § 2800.2F) is added to read as follows:
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74 “2800.2F. The enforcement of this section shall be the primary responsibility of the
75 Department of Licensing and Consumer protection unless the agency is outside of its operating
76 hours or additional enforcement resources are requested.”.
77 Sec. 3. Title 20, Section 2900 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (20
78 DCMR § 2900 et seq.), is amended as follows:
79 (a) Subsection 2901.1 is amended by striking the phrase “Type II specifications per ANSI
80 S1.4-1971” and adding the phrase “Class 2 specifications per IEC 61672 or Type 2 specifications
81 per ANSI S1.4-2014”.
82 (b) Subsection 2901.3 is repealed.
83 Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.
84 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal
85 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,
86 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).
87 Sec. 5. Effective date.
88 This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
89 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
90 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
91 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
92 Columbia Register.
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