DC Council Additional Meeting on July 7, 2026: Budget Support Act Final Reading and Amendments
DC Council Additional Meeting on July 7, 2026: Budget Support Act Final Reading and Amendments
This was an additional meeting of the Council of the District of Columbia, held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 11:40 AM in the council chambers. Chair Phil Mendelson presided. The sole agenda item was the final reading of Bill 26-661, the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Support Act (BSA), along with its emergency version and declaration. The council considered and voted on multiple amendments, with the BSA ultimately passing unanimously on both permanent and emergency bases. The meeting adjourned at 1:48 PM.
Discussion Items
- Oral Amendment (Chair Mendelson): A technical correction to subtitle 2I, line 1589, changing a section reference from 302 to 302A. Accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Allen Amendment #1 – DC Water PIF Sunset: Proposed to sunset the increased public inconvenience fee (PIF) for DC Water beginning October 1, 2030, to prevent costs from being passed to ratepayers. After discussion, accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Allen Amendment #2 – Telework Exemptions for PSC and OPC: Exempted the Public Service Commission and Office of People's Council from the mayor's telework policy, allowing them to maintain existing policies. Accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Robert White Amendment – $50 Weekly Pilot Program: Increased the eligibility threshold for participating schools from 40% to 60% at-risk enrollment to focus limited funds on schools with highest need. Accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Lewis George Amendment #1 – Restore Paid Leave Benefits: Restored the maximum duration of paid family leave and medical leave to 12 weeks each beginning October 1, 2030, reversing a temporary reduction. Accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Lewis George Amendment #2 – Collective Bargaining on Telework: Preserved the ability for unions to negotiate telework policies through future collective bargaining, rather than barring such negotiations. Accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Lewis George Amendment #3 – Rock Creek Tennis Center Oversight: Required quarterly updates from the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development on repairs and impacts on residents. Accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Lewis George Amendment #4 – Striking Inclusionary Zoning Income Verification Change: Removed a subtitle that would have shifted income verification back to the private market, citing past problems. Accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Pinto and Crawford Amendment – U Street Parking Zone Funds: Sought to set aside $100,000 from the Greater U Street Performance Parking Zone for existing main street clean teams. After debate, a roll call vote resulted in 6 yes and 7 no, so the amendment failed.
- Councilmember Crawford Amendment – Park Morton Project Extension: Extended a deadline for specified site use requirements to December 20, 2029, with an oral amendment from Councilmember Nadeau to reference Zoning Commission Order 16-11. Accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Felder Amendments (1, 2, 3) – CBE Definition Corrections: Three technical amendments to update the definition of certified business enterprise to match existing DC law, applying to workforce housing, former federal properties, and Wamada joint development. Accepted without objection.
- Councilmember Trayon White Amendment – Ratepayer Relief from PIF Sunset: Sought to require that any rate increases resulting from the PIF also expire with the PIF. Chair Mendelson ruled the amendment out of order, stating the council cannot set water rates. A motion to recess to revise the language failed on a voice vote.
Key Outcomes
- The amendment in the nature of a substitute (as amended) was adopted unanimously by voice vote.
- Bill 26-661, the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Support Act, as amended, was passed on final reading unanimously.
- PR 26-758, the emergency declaration resolution, was adopted unanimously.
- Bill 26-724, the emergency version of the BSA conforming to the permanent bill, was passed unanimously.
- The meeting concluded with thanks to staff and announcement of the next additional meeting on July 14, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
I'm calling to order this meeting. This is an additional meeting of the council of the District of Columbia. I'm Phil Mendelssohn, Chair of the Council. Today is Tuesday, July 7th, 2026. The time is 11:40 in the morning. We are in room 500, the council chambers of the Johnny Wilson building. This meeting, I believe, is being uh streamed on Cable Television 13, and is also I think available, but will be um is being recorded and will be available forever in the future on uh the council's website, www.dccouncil.gov. Uh this is an additional meeting. That is, it's not our regularly scheduled monthly meeting. It's also the 34th meeting of Council Period 26. We have one item of business, although one is divided by, I think three. That is we have the Budget Support Act final reading, as well as the emergency version of that and the emergency declaration, so we can consider this on an emergency basis. And when I say emergency, that means it becomes effective as soon as the mayor signs it. Uh and there are portions of the Budget Support Act that need to go into effect uh sooner than would otherwise occur with the congressional review period. We always begin our legislative meetings with a moment of silence if we could have silence on the dais and in the chamber. Madam Secretary, would you please call the roll? Councilmember Allen. Here. Councilmember Bonds. Councilmember Bonds. Councilmember Crawford. Here. Councilmember Falder. Present. Councilmember Freeman. Present. Councilmember Henderson. Here. Councilmember Lewis George? Here. Chairman Mendelssohn. Present. Councilmember Nadell. Councilmember Parker. Here. Councilmember Pinto. Present. Councilmember Robert White. Present. Councilmember Trayon White. Present. Mr. Chairman, you have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Secretary. We only have a non-consent agenda. And the first item is Bill 26-661, the fiscal year 2027 Budget Support Act of 2029. We adopted this at first reading on June 9th. This legislation, it's much more complicated than the budget. And so rather than moving second reading last week with final reading on the budget, we are taking it up today. Alakes substantive revisions as well as clarifying changes developed with the council's office of the budget director and the office of the general counsel, as well as working with the office of the chief financial officer and the executive.
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