HR2693-119

What This Bill Does

The District of Columbia Electronic Transmittal of Legislation Act updates congressional procedure for D.C. legislation. For purposes of determining whether the Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia has transmitted or submitted a D.C. Act to Congress under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, the House and Senate must treat electronic submission the same as paper submission. The bill is enacted as an exercise of each chamber's rulemaking power and supersedes other chamber rules only where inconsistent, while preserving each chamber's constitutional right to change its rules.

Who Benefits and How

The Council of the District of Columbia benefits because electronic transmittal is recognized for congressional-review timing and acceptance. The Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia benefits from a clearer submission method. District of Columbia residents benefit indirectly from less procedural uncertainty when local Acts are sent to Congress. House and Senate receiving offices benefit from a clear rule for accepting electronic D.C. Act submissions.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The House of Representatives and Senate must treat covered electronic transmissions as equivalent to paper transmissions for D.C. Home Rule Act procedures. Congressional clerks and receiving offices must administer electronic submission records. Members seeking to contest D.C. transmittal validity based solely on electronic form lose that procedural argument.

Key Provisions

• Requires the House and Senate to accept electronic D.C. Act transmittals the same way they accept paper transmittals.
• Applies to transmissions and submissions by the Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia under the D.C. Home Rule Act.
• Uses each chamber's rulemaking power and supersedes inconsistent rules only for the covered procedure.
• Preserves each chamber's constitutional authority to change its rules later.