Councilmember Anita, Bonds
Councilmember Brianne Nadeau
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10 iclfmeibber Robert White
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14 A BILL
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19 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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24 To amend the District of Columbia Elections Code of 1955 to require the District of Columbia
25 Board of Elections to develop and post on its website a voter registration packet; to amend
26 the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency Act to provide that housing projects
27 assisted by the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency shall comply with certain
28 provisions relating to the provision of voter registration packets; to amend the Rental
29 Housing Act of 1985 to require landlords of residential rental properties to provide voter
30 registration materials to new tenants including information about how to register to vote
31 and update the tenant's voter registration information; to amend the District of Columbia
32 Housing Authority Act of 1999 to include voter registration packets in the tenants' Bill of
33 Rights; and to amend Subchapter 11 of Subchapter 8 of Title 47 to provide that an
34 application for the homestead deduction for houses, condominium units, and cooperative
35 housing associations shall include a voter registration packet.
36 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
37 act may be cited as the "Improving Voter Registration for New Tenants and Homeowners
38 Amendment Act of 2019".
39 Sec. 2. Section 5(a) of the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955, approved August
40 12, 1955 (69 Stat. 700; D.C. Official Code 1-1001.05(a)), is amended as follows:
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41 (a) Paragraph (18) is amended by striking the phrase and" and inserting a semicolon in
42 its place.
43 (b) Paragraph (19) is amended by striking the period and inserting the phrase and" in its
44 place.
45 (c) A new paragraph (20) is added to read as follows:
46 "(20) Develop and post on the Board's website a voter registration packet, which
47 shall include the following materials:
48 "(A) A voter registration application;
49 "(B) Information concerning:
50 "(i) Online voter registration;
51 "(ii) Updating a voter's address; and
52 "(iii) The voting rights of individuals with criminal records in the
53 District; and
54 "(C) A weblink to the Board's website to identify the following:
55 "(i) The date of the next scheduled election;
56 "(ii) Polling place locations;
5 7 " ( i i i ) N a m e s a n d p o s i t i o n s o f c u r r e n t e l e c t e d o f fi c i a l s i n t h e D i s t r i c t
58 of Columbia; and
59 "(iv) How to search for an individual's Ward Councilmember and
60 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner.".
61 Sec. 3. The second section 26e of the District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1999,
62 effective May 9, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-105; D.C. Official Code 6-232), is amended by adding a
63 new subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
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64 "(b-1) The Bill of Rights shall also include the voter registration packet, created by the
65 Board of Elections pursuant to section 5(a)(20) of the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955,
66 approved August 12,1955 (69 Stat. 700; D.C. Official Code 1-1001.05(a)(20))."..
67 Sec. 4. Section 308(a) of the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency Act, effective
68 March 3,1979 (D.C. Law 2-135; D.C. Official Code 42-2703.08(a)), is amended by striking the
69 phrase "Rental Housing Act of 1985, signed by the Mayor on May 16, 1985 (Act 6-23; to be
70 codified as D.C. Code, sec. 45-2501 et seq.y^ and inserting the phrase "the Rental Housing Act of
71 1985, effective July 17, 1985 (D.C. Law 6-10; D.C. Official Code 42-3501.01 et seq.), except
72 for section 909 of the Rental Housing Act of 1985, effective July 17, 1985 (D.C. Law 6-10; D.C.
73 Official Code 42-3509.09)." in its place.
74 Sec. 5. Section 2067(8) of the Office of the Chief Tenant Advocate Establishment Act of
75 2005, effective October 20, 2005 (D.C. Law 16-33; D.C. Official Code 42-3531.07(8)), is
76 amended by striking the phrase "Register." and inserting the phrase "Register. The Tenant Bill of
77 Rights shall include a voter registration packet, created by the Board of Elections pursuant to
78 section 5(a)(20) of the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955, approved August 12,1955 (69
79 Stat. 700; D.C. Official Code 1-1001.05(a)(20))." in its place.
80 Sec. 6. Subchapter II of Chapter 8 of Title 47 of the District of Columbia Official Code is
81 amended as follows:
82 (a) Section 47-850(b) is amended by striking the phrase "in a form prescribed by the
83 Mayor" and inserting the phrase "in a form prescribed by the Mayor. The application shall include
84 a voter registration packet, created by the Board of Elections pursuant to l-1001.05(a)(20)" in
85 its place.
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86 (b) Section 47-850.01 (c) is amended by striking the phrase "in a form prescribed by the
87 Mayor" and inserting the phrase "in a form prescribed by the Mayor. The application shall include
88 a voter registration packet, created by the Board of Elections pursuant to l-1001.05(a)(20)" in
89 its place.
90 Sec. 7. Fiscal impact statement.
91 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact
92 statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved
93 October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code 1-301.47a).
94 Sec. 8. Effective date.
95 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
96 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
97 provided in section 602(c)( 1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24,
98 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
99 Columbia Register.
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