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 D.C. Municipal Regulations (Last Updated: September 13, 2017)
 Title 3. ELECTIONS AND ETHICS
 Chapter 3-18. CHARTER AMENDING PROCEDURES

  Section 3-1802. PREPARATION OF SHORT TITLE AND SUMMARY STATEMENT  

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    1802.1Within twenty (20) calendar days after receipt of the proposed Charter amendment, the Board shall conduct a public meeting to formulate for each proposed Charter amendment:

     

    (a) An abbreviated and impartial summary statement of no more than one hundred fifty (150) words, which expresses the chief purpose of the amendment; and

     

    (b) A short title of no more than twenty (20) words by which the amendment will be readily identifiable and distinguishable from other measures which may appear on the ballot.

     

    1802.2The summary statement and short title formulated by the Board shall accurately and impartially reflect the meaning and intent of the proposed Charter amendment and shall not intentionally create prejudice for or against the measure.

     

    1802.3The following shall apply to the counting of words in the summary statement prepared by the Board pursuant to § 1802.1:

     

    (a) Punctuation is not counted;

     

    (b) Each word shall be counted as one (1) word except as specified in this subsection;

     

    (c) All geographical names shall be considered as one (1) word; for example, "District of Columbia" shall be counted as one (1) word;

     

    (d) Each abbreviation for a word, phrase, or expression shall be counted as one (1) word;

     

    (e) Hyphenated words that appear in any generally available dictionary shall be considered as one (1) word. Each part of all other hyphenated words shall be counted as a separate word;

     

    (f) Dates consisting of a combination of words and digits shall be counted as two (2) words. Dates consisting only of combination of digits shall be counted as one (1) word; and

     

    (g) Any number consisting of a digit or digits shall be considered as one (1) word. Any number which is spelled, such as "one," shall be considered as a separate word or words. "One" shall be counted as one (1) word whereas "one hundred" shall be counted as two (2) words. The number "100" shall be counted as one (1) word.

     

    1802.4Within five (5) working days of formulating the proposed summary statement(s) and short title(s), the Board shall submit the formulations to the D.C. Register for publication, along with either the entire Act or the provisions of the Act that would amend the Charter.

     

    1802.5Within five (5) working days of formulating the proposed summary statement(s) and short title(s), the Board shall also notify the Mayor and the Chairman of the Council, either by personal delivery or by certified mail, of the exact wording of the formulations.

     

    1802.6The Board shall make copies of the formulations, and either the entire Act or the provisions of the Act that would amend the Charter, available to the public at no charge.

     

authority

Section 5 of the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955, approved August 12, 1955, as amended (69 Stat. 699; D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.05(a)(14) (2011 Repl.)).

source

Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 5454, 5458-59 (July 15, 1988); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 40 DCR 7083 (October 8, 1993); as amended by Emergency and Proposed Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 627 (January 27, 2012)[EXPIRED]; as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 59 DCR 4780 (May 11, 2012).