HR7068-119

What This Bill Does

The No Convicts Running the Capital Act sets employment and procurement restrictions for the District of Columbia government. D.C. employing authorities may not appoint an individual to a D.C. government position unless the individual certifies that the individual has not been finally convicted of a crime of violence or a dangerous crime. The rule applies to appointments after enactment, and D.C. must terminate within 90 days any current D.C. government employee who has been finally convicted of either category of crime. D.C. offices also may not enter into contracts for goods or services unless the vendor certifies that it is not a covered vendor. A vendor is covered if the vendor is an individual with a final violent or dangerous crime conviction, employs such an individual to perform the contract, has such an individual as an officer or director, or has such an individual with a controlling ownership interest. The vendor rule applies to post-enactment contracts, and D.C. must terminate within 90 days any existing contract with a covered vendor. The bill defines crime of violence and dangerous crime by D.C. Code section 23-1331 with substantially similar federal, state, or local offenses included, and defines final conviction by completed or expired appeal rights.

Who Benefits and How

D.C. residents, D.C. government agencies, public-safety advocates, and contracting offices benefit from a uniform screening rule for violent or dangerous crime convictions in government employment and vendor relationships. D.C. agencies may benefit from clearer certifications before hiring or contracting. Competing vendors without covered individuals may benefit when covered vendors are excluded from D.C. contracts.

Who Bears the Burden and How

D.C. employees with final convictions for covered offenses, applicants for D.C. government jobs, vendors employing covered individuals, vendors with covered officers or owners, D.C. human resources staff, procurement offices, and contractor compliance teams bear the burden. D.C. must terminate covered current employees and covered existing vendor contracts within 90 days, collect certifications, screen appointments and contracts, and resolve disputes about substantially similar offenses or final conviction status.

Key Provisions

• Bars D.C. government appointment of individuals finally convicted of crimes of violence or dangerous crimes.
• Requires D.C. to terminate current employees with covered convictions within 90 days.
• Requires vendors to certify that they are not covered vendors before D.C. offices enter contracts.
• Bars vendor contracts when covered individuals perform contract work, serve as officers or directors, or hold controlling ownership interests.
• Requires D.C. to terminate existing contracts with covered vendors within 90 days.
• Defines covered violent and dangerous crimes using D.C. Code section 23-1331 and substantially similar offenses.