D.C. Act 25-404. Election Worker Protection Emergency Amendment Act of 2024.
AN ACT
To amend, on an emergency basis, the District of Columbia Theft and White Collar Crimes Act of 1982 to enhance penalties imposed for certain crimes against election officials.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Election Worker Protection Emergency Amendment Act of 2024".
Sec. 2. Title II of the District of Columbia Theft and White Collar Crimes Act of 1982 effective December 1, 1982 (D.C. Law 4-164; D.C. Official Code § 22-3601 et seq.), is amended by adding a new section 205 to read as follows:
"Sec. 205. Enhanced penalty for committing certain dangerous and violent crimes against election workers and officials.
"(a) A person who commits any offense listed in subsection (b) of this section against an individual whom the person knew or believed to be a Board of Elections member, employee or volunteer, while the member, employee or volunteer is engaged in the performance of his or her duties or on account of the performance of those duties, may be punished by a fine of up to 1 1/2 times the maximum fine otherwise authorized for the offense and may be imprisoned for a term of up to 1 1/2 times the maximum term of imprisonment otherwise authorized for the offense, or both.
"(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall apply to the following offenses: Abduction, arson, aggravated assault, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to kill, assault with intent to commit any other offense, threats of violence, intimidation, harassment, stalking, burglary, carjacking, armed carjacking, extortion or blackmail accompanied by threats of violence, kidnapping, malicious disfigurement, manslaughter, mayhem, murder, robbery, sexual abuse in the first, second, and third degrees, theft, fraud in the first degree, fraud in the second degree, identity theft, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit any of the foregoing offenses.".
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).
Sec. 4. Effective date.
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than 90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)).
