FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 1E
Government of the District of Columbia
2605 Sherman Ave NW, Washington DC 20001
Contact: Commissioner Brad Howard, ANC 1E Engagement Secretary
www.anc1e.org | 1E01@anc.dc.gov
WASHINGTON — At its May 28, 2025 public meeting, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E unanimously adopted a resolution opposing B26-0208, the “Open Meetings Clarification Amendment Act of 2025.” The bill, introduced by the D.C. Council in March and temporarily enacted as emergency legislation in April, would expand the number of government meetings that could take place behind closed doors. including retreats, briefings, and meetings with the Mayor.
The Commission expressed serious concerns that B26-0208 would weaken the District’s open government framework by creating vague new exemptions to the Open Meetings Act. These changes, ANC 1E argued, would limit public access to government decision-making and reduce transparency at a time when accountability and public trust are already under strain.
“These changes risk being misused to avoid accountability and erode public trust at a time when transparency is critical to good policymaking and to defending the District’s right to self-govern,” said Commissioner Brad Howard, who authored the resolution. “Weakening open government protections through emergency legislation that silences public input sets a dangerous precedent that sidelines the public when their voice matters most.”
The resolution urges the Council to reject B26-0208 and instead prioritize strengthening transparency protections across all levels of District government.
Resolution Text:
#1E-2025-0506: Resolution Opposing B26-0208, the “Open Meetings Clarification Amendment Act of 2025”
WHEREAS, On March 28, 2025, the D.C. Council introduced B26-0208, the “Open Meetings Clarification Amendment Act of 2025,” which seeks to amend the District’s Open Meetings Act to allow a broad range of gatherings to occur behind closed doors, including retreats, field visits, briefings, and meetings with the Mayor; and
WHEREAS, On April 1, 2025, the D.C. Council passed an emergency version of this legislation (B26-0199) without a public hearing, allowing it to bypass the regular legislative process and take effect for 90 days unless vetoed by the Mayor; and
WHEREAS, B26-0208 would significantly weaken the District’s open government framework by introducing vague exemptions that reduce public access to deliberative policymaking and limit opportunities for residents to understand how decisions are shaped; and
WHEREAS, These changes risk being misused to avoid accountability and erode public trust at a time when transparency is critical to good policymaking and to defending the District’s right to self-govern; and
WHEREAS, Commissioner Brad Howard (ANC 1E01), on behalf of his constituents in Park View, submitted written testimony to the Council’s Committee of the Whole for its April 22, 2025, public hearing on B26-0208, outlining concerns about transparency, accountability, and public trust that are broadly shared by this commission; and
WHEREAS, The unnecessary use of emergency powers on April 1, 2025, to temporarily enact a consequential rollback of transparency protections without public input only heightens concerns about both the intent of the legislation and the substance of the bill itself; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, ANC 1E opposes B26-0208 and any effort to create new exemptions to the District’s Open Meetings Act that would reduce public visibility into government meetings, deliberations, or decision-making;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The D.C. Council should reject B26-0208 because it removes essential guardrails that help ensure public officials remain accountable to the people they serve, and because the long-term concern it raises for trust, transparency, and public engagement far outweighs the short-term administrative flexibility it might offer;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, ANC 1E urges the Council of the District of Columbia to reject this bill and instead recommit to strengthening transparency protections across all levels of District government;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, ANC 1E designates Commissioner Brad Howard to represent the Commission in all matters relating to this Resolution. In the event the designated representative Commissioner cannot carry out their representative duties for any reason, ANC 1E authorizes the Chair to designate another Commissioner to represent the Commission in all matter relating to this Resolution.
About ANC 1E:
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1E represents the neighborhoods of Pleasant Plains, Park View, and the Howard University area. Commissioners are elected to advise the District government on decisions that affect their neighborhoods, including public safety, transportation, planning, zoning, and city services. All ANC meetings are open to the public, and residents are encouraged to participate in shaping the future of their community.
About Advisory Neighborhood Commissions:
ANCs are nonpartisan, locally elected bodies in Washington, D.C. that represent neighborhood interests to the District government. While ANCs do not have legislative power, they are given “great weight” on decisions before city agencies and the Council. Commissioners serve two-year terms and are elected by single-member districts within each ward.
ANC 1E 