New Bill Subjects D.C. Emergency Laws to Automatic Congressional Expiration After 90 Days

This bill fundamentally changes the rules for how the District of Columbia Council can respond to local emergencies. Currently, when D.C. passes an emergency law, it takes effect immediately. This legislation updates the D.C. home rule act (specifically Section 412(a) and 602(c)) to mandate that any emergency D.C. act will automatically expire after ninety days unless the U.S. Congress explicitly doesn't pass a joint resolution of disapproval within that timeframe. Essentially, Congress gets an expedited, mandatory review period for every emergency measure D.C. takes.

The Emergency Brake: How Congress Can Hit Pause

Think of this like a temporary license for a critically needed local law. The D.C. Council can still pass an emergency act that takes effect right away—say, a sudden measure to stop price gouging after a natural disaster or to fund an immediate public health response. However, under this bill, that law now comes with a ninety-day ticking clock. If Congress decides it doesn't like the emergency law, it can use an expedited process to kill it quickly. Even if Congress doesn't actively disapprove, the law still dies after 90 days unless Congress allows the clock to run out. This is a massive shift, moving the default position from 'D.C. law stands unless Congress disapproves' to 'D.C. emergency law dies unless Congress tolerates it for 90 days.'

Local Response vs. Federal Oversight

For residents of D.C., this means the local government's ability to react swiftly to a crisis is significantly curtailed. Imagine a sudden, critical infrastructure failure—like a water main break affecting thousands—that requires the Council to immediately allocate millions in emergency funds and waive certain regulations. While the Council Chairman can still enact that measure immediately, the measure's lifespan is now dependent on the political calendar of the U.S. Congress, which is often slow and distracted by national issues. If Congress is in recess or bogged down in other debates, that 90-day window could close, forcing a critical local measure to expire even if it's working perfectly.

New Paperwork for the Chairman

The bill also adds a new administrative requirement for the D.C. Council Chairman. If the Chairman determines an act needs to take effect immediately due to an emergency, they must now notify the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate within three session days of the law being enacted. While the Chairman retains the power to enact immediate legislation, this new notification duty ensures Congress is immediately aware of the emergency measure and can begin its expedited review process. This change removes the D.C. Council's previous ability to unilaterally determine immediate effect and replaces it with a federally monitored process, ensuring Congress has a short window to intervene in local crises.