Bill · H.R. 356· House(119-HR-356)
District of Columbia Prosecutor Home Rule Act
- Introduced
- 1/13/2025
- Last activity
- 1/13/2025 — Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Sponsored by
- Eleanor Norton
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "District of Columbia Prosecutor Home Rule Act," seeks to change how laws are enforced in Washington, D.C. It aims to move the responsibility for prosecuting violations of local ordinances, regulations, and certain penal statutes to the head of a local prosecutor's office. This local office would be designated under the local law of the District of Columbia. The bill clarifies that this change does not affect the authority of the U.S. Attorney or the Attorney General regarding federal law violations. It also includes provisions regarding the transition of employees and their federal benefits.
Yes· 3 of 5
Does this leave more decisions to the states?+7
The bill transfers the authority to prosecute local ordinances and penal statutes from a federal office to a local office under District law.
Would people in cities be better off under this?+5
The bill increases local control over the legal enforcement of District of Columbia ordinances and regulations.
Does this change how police departments operate?+5
The bill shifts local criminal prosecutions from a federal office to a locally designated prosecutor's office.
The opposite
Does this give the federal government more power?-4
The bill reduces the scope of federal prosecutorial responsibility within the District of Columbia.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Local Prosecution Control: The bill assigns the responsibility for conducting prosecutions for violations of local ordinances and regulations to a local prosecutor's office designated under local law (Section 2, subsection a).
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Employee Benefit Protection: Individuals who are currently employees of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia and transition to the local prosecutor's office will continue to be treated as federal employees for the purposes of receiving specific benefits (Section 2, subsection c).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Uncertainty of Effective Date: The timing of when these changes take effect depends on when a local law is passed designating the local prosecutor's office, which creates a waiting period of one year after that local law takes effect (Section 2, subsection b).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Urban Residents+5Good For Union Workers+4
- Governance And Ideology
- Increase States Rights+7Improves Government Transparency+3Increases Federal Power-4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Policing Reform+5
- 1/13/2025
- Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E22)
- Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
- Introduced in House