District of Columbia Council Period 25 Status: Enacted

PR 25-0606 — Protecting Consumers from Unjust Debt Collection Practices Technical Clarification Amendment Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2024

Last action — Resolution R25-0404, Effective from Jan 09, 2024 Published in DC Register Page 001038

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Council
  4. ✓
    To Executive
  5. 5
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 08, 2024. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 70% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 1 recorded vote so far.

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Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

52 added · 55 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to Bill PR 25-0606 clarifies the definition of "public utility" and ensures these utilities can continue certain practices, such as contacting customers about service disconnections. This is important because existing laws about debt collection were conflicting with the practices utilities need to follow. By addressing these conflicts, the bill helps protect consumers while allowing utilities to properly communicate with customers about their services.

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2 Chairman Phil Mendelson 4 6 A RESOLUTION 8 _______________ IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ____________________ To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend, on an emergency basis, section 28-3814 of the District of Columbia Official Code to provide a definition of the term public utility;
ENROLLED ORIGINAL A RESOLUTION 25-404 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA January 9, 2024 To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend, on an emergency basis, section 28-3814 of the District of Columbia Official Code to provide a definition of the term public utility and to ensure that public utilities can continue to engage in certain practices related to customer contact and posting of notices for disconnection of service pursuant to Title 15, Chapter 3 of the D.C.
to ensure that public utilities can continue to engage in certain practices related to customer contact and posting of notices for disconnection of service pursuant to Title 15, Chapter 3 of the D.C.
RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Protecting Consumers from Unjust Debt Collection Practices Technical Clarification Amendment Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2024”.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Protecting Consumers from Unjust Debt Collection Practices Technical Clarification Amendment Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2024”.
(a) The “Protecting Consumers from Unjust Debt Collection Practices Amendment Act of 2021” (D.C.
(a) The Protecting Consumers from Unjust Debt Collection Practices Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 27, 2022 (D.C.
Law 24-154) became applicable on January 1, 2023.
Law 24-154;
69 DCR 8352), became applicable on January 1, 2023.
Some of the requirements in the law conflict with existing requirements applicable to public utilities in Title 15, Chapter 3 of the D.C.
Some of the requirements in the law conflict with existing requirements applicable to public utilities in Chapter 3 of Title 15 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations.
Municipal Regulations.
Official Code § 28-3814(d)(5) prohibits debt collectors from “visiting or threatening to visit the household of a consumer at any time for the purpose of collecting a debt, other than for the purpose of serving process in a lawsuit.” Pursuant to 15 DCMR 312.2, however, utilities are required to make reasonable efforts to contact a customer prior to disconnection, and this contact may include in person notification.
Official Code § 28-3814(d)(5) prohibits debt collectors from “visiting or threatening to visit the household of a consumer at any time for the purpose of collecting a debt, other than for the purpose of serving process in a lawsuit.” Pursuant to 15 DCMR § 312.2, however, utilities are required to make reasonable efforts to contact a customer prior to disconnection, and this contact may include in-person notification.
In person notification may be necessary when a utility is unable to reach the customer via phone or electronic mail.
In-person notification may be necessary when a utility is unable to reach the customer via phone or electronic mail.
15 DCMR 312 and 15 DCMR 314 require utilities to post a notice of disconnection in a location “reasonably calculated to be seen by Persons residing on the premises…” The notice must include the reason for the disconnection, which could lead to family, friends, or other individuals knowing about the customer’s debt in violation of the law.
15 DCMR § 312 and 15 DCMR § require utilities to post a notice of disconnection in a location “reasonably calculated to be seen by Persons residing on the premises…” The notice must include the reason for the ENROLLED ORIGINAL disconnection, which could lead to family, friends, or other individuals knowing about the customer’s debt in violation of the law.
15 DCMR 306 requires utilities who enter into a deferred payment agreement with a customer to provide the information in writing within 10 business days.
15 DCMR § requires utilities that enter into a deferred payment agreement with a customer to provide the information in writing within 10 business days.
(d) Identical legislation was enacted on an emergency and temporary basis in 2023, but the temporary version (D.C.
(d) Identical legislation was enacted on an emergency and temporary basis in 2023, but the temporary version, the Protecting Consumers from Unjust Debt Collection Practices Technical Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2023, effective May 25, 2023 (D.C.
Law 25-5) expired on January 5, 2024.
Law 25-5;
70 DCR 3836), expired on January 5, 2024.
The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Protecting Consumers from Unjust Debt Collection Practices Technical Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2024 be adopted after a single reading.
The Council determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Protecting Consumers from Unjust Debt Collection Practices Technical Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2024 be adopted after a single reading.
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Action History

  1. Resolution R25-0404, Effective from Jan 09, 2024 Published in DC Register Page 001038

  2. Approved with Resolution Number R25-0404

  3. Final Reading

  4. Retained by the Council

  5. PR25-0606 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 13 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (13)

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Final Reading

Passed 13 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 13000
Total 13000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (13)
Member Party Vote
Anita Bonds — Yea
Brianne K. Nadeau — Yea
Brooke Pinto — Yea
Charles Allen — Yea
Christina Henderson — Yea
Janeese Lewis George — Yea
Kenyan R. McDuffie — Yea
Matthew Frumin — Yea
Phil Mendelson — Yea
Robert C. White, Jr. — Yea
Trayon White, Sr. — Yea
Vincent Gray — Yea
Zachary Parker — Yea

Subjects

public-safety finance
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors PR 25-0606?
PR 25-0606 is sponsored by Phil Mendelson.
What is the current status of PR 25-0606?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 08, 2024. Enacted.
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