[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7020 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7020

To provide for coverage of employees of the District of Columbia courts 
and the District of Columbia Public Defender Service under the District 
         of Columbia Human Rights Act, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 12, 2026

  Ms. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide for coverage of employees of the District of Columbia courts 
and the District of Columbia Public Defender Service under the District 
         of Columbia Human Rights Act, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``District of Columbia Courts and 
Public Defender Service Employment Non-Discrimination Act''.

SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF EMPLOYEES UNDER DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HUMAN RIGHTS 
              ACT.

    (a) Coverage.--
            (1) Employees of district of columbia courts.--Section 11-
        1726, District of Columbia Code, is amended by adding at the 
        end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) For purposes of the Human Rights Act of 1977 (sec. 2-1401.01 
et seq., D.C. Official Code), a nonjudicial employee of the District of 
Columbia courts shall be considered to be an employee under such Act 
and the District of Columbia courts shall be considered to be an 
employer under such Act.''.
            (2) Employees of district of columbia public defender 
        service.--Section 305 of the District of Columbia Court Reform 
        and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970 (sec. 2-1605, D.C. Official 
        Code) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(e) For purposes of the Human Rights Act of 1977 (sec. 2-1401.01 
et seq., D.C. Official Code), an employee of the Service shall be 
considered to be an employee under such Act and the Service shall be 
considered to be an employer under such Act.''.
    (b) Exclusion From Separate Procedures Established for Complaints 
Against Agencies of District Government.--Section 303 of the Human 
Rights Act of 1977 (sec. 2-1403.03, D.C. Official Code) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(c) This section does not apply with respect to complaints filed 
against--
            ``(1) the District of Columbia courts or officials and 
        employees of the District of Columbia courts; or
            ``(2) the District of Columbia Public Defender Service or 
        officials and employees of the District of Columbia Public 
        Defender Service.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall apply 
with respect to complaints filed on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act.
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