5200284 Resolution 20-675, "District Government Certificate of Good Standing Filing Requirement Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2014"

A RESOLUTION

 

20-675

 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

October 28, 2014

 

 

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 to require each administrative law judge, hearing officer, or attorney who is required to be a member of the District of Columbia Bar as a prerequisite of District government employment to file a Certificate of Good Standing from the District of Columbia Court of Appeals on an annual basis.

 

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this

resolution may be cited as the "District Government Certificate of Good Standing Filing Requirement Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2014".

 

            Sec. 2.(a) In a hearing held by the Committee on Business, Consumer and Regulatory Affairs on September 26, 2014, on the District’s private workers’ compensation program, it was determined that an administrative law judge had issued hundreds of workers’ compensation rulings even though the administrative law judge had been disbarred from the practice of law for over 16 years.

  (b) This has created a tremendous sense of confusion and frustration, and has undermined the confidence of the public in the District’s workers’ compensation program.

              (c) Emergency legislation is needed to insure that each administrative law judge, hearing officer, and attorney who is required to be a member of the District of Columbia Bar is required to file an annual Certificate of Good Standing from the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to prevent the unethical practice of law.

 

            Sec. 3.  The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the District Government Certificate of Good Standing Filing Requirement Emergency Amendment Act of 2014 be adopted after a single reading.

 

Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.