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2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto Chairman Phil Mendelson
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7 Councilmember Anita Bonds
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14 A BILL
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17 __________
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20 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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22 ______________
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25 To amend Sections 2700 and 2800 of Title 20 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations
26 to regulate noise in the public space generated from amplifying sound devices by
27 implementing a plainly audible standard and enforcement standards; and to amend the
28 definition of a noise disturbance to include all residentially zoned districts.
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30 BE IT ENACTED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
31 act may be cited as the Amplified Noise Amendment Act of 2021.
32 Sec. 2. Title 20 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (20 DCMR 100 et
33 seq.), is amended as follows:
34 (a) Chapter 27 (20 DCMR 2700 et seq.) is amended as follows:
35 (1) Section 2799 (20 DCMR 2799) is amended by striking the phrase "does not
36 exceed 80 decibels inside the nearest occupied residence in districts zoned Rl-A, R-IB, R-2, R-3,
37 or R-4" and inserting the phrase "does not exceed 80 decibels inside the nearest occupied
38 residence in a residentially zoned district, as those terms are used in 11-A DCMR 101.9" in its
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39 place.
40 (b) Section 2800 (20 DCMR 2800.2A) is added to read as follows:
41 (1) A new subsection 2800.2A (20 DCMR 2800.2A) is added to read as follows:
42 2800.2A. It shall be unlawful for any person to make, operate, use, or play any
43 electronically amplified sound in a public space that exceeds 90 decibels from the sound source..
44 (2) A new subsection 2800.2B (20 DCMR 2800.2B) is added to read as follows:
45 2800.2B. Any person who violates 20 DCMR 2800 and continues or resumes the
46 violation after receiving a verbal warning from a Metropolitan Police Officer or other law
47 enforcement personnel shall be issued a notice of violation by the officer or law enforcement
48 personnel and punished by a fine of up to three hundred dollars ($300)..
49 (3) A new subsection 2800.2C (20 DCMR 2800.2C) is added to read as follows:
50 2800.2C. In the event of any violation of, or failure to comply with this section, each and
51 every day of the violation shall constitute a separate offense, and the penalties described in this
52 section shall be applicable to each separate offense..
53 (4) A new subsection 2800.3 (20 DCMR 2800.3) is added to read as follows:
54 2800.3. A person participating in a parade, public gathering, or demonstration conducted
55 pursuant to a permit issued by the Metropolitan Police Department (as provided for in 24 DCMR,
56 Chapter 7), if required, is exempt from the noise disturbance standard and the requirements of
57 this section..
58 Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.
59 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact
60 statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved
61 October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code 1-301.47a).
62 Sec. 5. Effective date.
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63 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor,
64 action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of Congressional review as provided in
65 Section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87
66 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.
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