2358475 D.C. Board of Elections Notice of Public Hearing: Receipt and Intent to Formulate Proposed Ballot Language
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BOARD OF ELECTIONS
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING:
RECEIPT AND INTENT TO FORMULATE PROPOSED BALLOT LANGUAGE
Pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 1-203.03 and D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 3, § 1801.6, the Board of Elections hereby gives notice of its intent to formulate ballot language for the provisions of the “Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2011” that would amend the Charter at its Regular Board Meeting on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 10:30 a.m., One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, N.W., Suite 280, Washington, D.C. 20001.
The ballot language that the Board shall formulate for each proposed Charter amendment shall include a short title that shall not exceed twenty (20) words in length, and a summary statement that shall not exceed one hundred and fifty (150) words in length.
The proposed Charter amendments contained in the “Board of Ethics and Government Accountability Establishment and Comprehensive Ethics Reform Amendment Act of 2011”, as submitted, read as follows:
Sec. 401. The District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 777; D.C. Official Code § 1-201.01 et seq.), is amended as follows:
(a) Section 401 (D.C. Official Code § 1-204.01) is amended by adding a new subsection
(e) to read as follows:
“(e)(1) By a 5/6 vote of its members, the Council may adopt a resolution of expulsion if it
finds, based on substantial evidence, that a member of the Council took an action that amounts to a gross failure to meet the highest standards of personal and professional conduct. Expulsion is the most severe punitive action, serving as a penalty imposed for egregious wrongdoing. Expulsion results in the removal of the member. Expulsion should be used in cases in which the Council determines that the violation of law committed by a member is of the most serious nature, including those violations that substantially threaten the public trust. To protect the exercise of official member duties and the overriding principle of freedom of speech, the Council shall not impose expulsion on any member for the exercise of his or her First Amendment right, no matter how distasteful the expression of that right was to the Council and the District, or in the official exercise of his or her office.
“(2) The Council shall include in its Rules of Organization procedures for investigation, and consideration of, the expulsion of a member.”.
(b) Section 402 (D.C. Official Code § 1-204.02) is amended by striking the phrase “to be
held; and (d) holds” and inserting the phrase “to be held; (d) has not been convicted of a felony
while holding the office; and (e) holds” in its place.
(c) Section 421(c)(1) (D.C. Official Code § 1-204.21(c)(1)) is amended by striking the phrase “to be held; and (C) is” and inserting the phrase “to be held; (C) has not been convicted of
a felony while holding the office; and (D) is” in its place.
