District of Columbia Government Title Equality Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The District of Columbia Government Title Equality Act is a title and terminology bill for the District government. It redesignates the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia as the Office of Governor of the District of Columbia, provides that the current Mayor is deemed elected as Governor, and treats references in federal or D.C. law, rules, or regulations to the Office of Mayor or Mayor as references to the Office of Governor or Governor. It also redesignates the Council of the District of Columbia as the Legislative Assembly of the District of Columbia, redesignates members as Representatives of the Legislative Assembly, deems current councilmembers elected as Representatives, and converts legal references to the Council or a Council Member into references to the Legislative Assembly or a Representative.
Who Benefits and How
The District of Columbia executive office benefits because the bill gives the chief executive the gubernatorial title used by States. District of Columbia legislators benefit because the Council becomes a Legislative Assembly and members become Representatives. District residents and voters benefit from continuity because current officeholders are deemed elected under the new titles without a new election. D.C. code editors and legal publishers benefit from a statutory rule translating old legal references into the new terminology.
Who Bears the Burden and How
D.C. government legal and administrative staff must update forms, public materials, references, and internal systems to use Governor, Legislative Assembly, and Representative terminology. Federal agencies that cite D.C. offices must interpret old references as the new titles and update materials where needed. Congressional and D.C. code editors must maintain cross-reference accuracy across federal and District laws, rules, and regulations.
Key Provisions
- Amends the D.C. Home Rule Act to rename the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia as the Office of Governor of the District of Columbia.
- Provides that the current Mayor is deemed elected as Governor and that legal references to Mayor mean Governor.
- Amends District government terminology by renaming the Council of the District of Columbia as the Legislative Assembly of the District of Columbia.
- Provides that current councilmembers are deemed elected as Representatives of the Legislative Assembly.
- Requires references in federal and D.C. laws, rules, and regulations to Council and Council Member to be read as Legislative Assembly and Representative references.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Renames the District of Columbia Mayor as Governor, the Council as the Legislative Assembly, and councilmembers as Representatives, while deeming current officeholders elected under the new titles and converting existing legal references to the new terminology.
Key Policy Areas
District of Columbia, Local Government, Statutory Terminology
Primary Purpose
Renames the District of Columbia Mayor as Governor, the Council as the Legislative Assembly, and councilmembers as Representatives, while deeming current officeholders elected under the new titles and converting existing legal references to the new terminology.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- District of Columbia executive office
- District of Columbia legislators
- District residents
- D.C. code editors
Identified Costs
- D.C. government legal staff
- Federal agency reference managers
- Congressional code editors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMs. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to …
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1009)
Impact analysis is available but no clear stakeholder effects identified. View clause-level analysis →
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
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