D.C. Law 22-224. Omnibus Department of For-Hire Vehicles Amendment Act of 2018.

AN ACT

To amend the Department of For-Hire Vehicles Establishment Act of 1985 to transfer fee collection duties from the Office of Compliance and Enforcement to the Office of Client Services, to transfer auditing responsibilities from the Office of Compliance and Enforcement to the Office of the Director, to clarify the responsibilities of the Office of Hearings and Conflict Resolution, and to make other clarifying amendments; and to amend the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 to provide that a community representative of the For-Hire Vehicle Advisory Council shall be entitled to compensation of $50 per meeting, up to a maximum of $1,350 per annum.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Omnibus Department of For-Hire Vehicles Amendment Act of 2018".

Sec. 2. The Department of For-Hire Vehicles Establishment Act of 1985, effective March 25, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-97; D.C. Official Code § 50-301.01 et seq.), is amended as follows:

(a) Section 4(17) (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.03(17)) is amended by striking the word "drivers" and inserting the word "operator" in its place.

(b) Section 7(a) (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.06(a)) is amended as follows:

(1) Paragraph (1) is amended as follows:

(A) Subparagraph (G) is repealed.

(B) A new subparagraph (G-i) is added to read as follows:

"(G-i) Auditing public vehicle-for-hire companies and payment service providers to the extent authorized by this act, and regulations issued pursuant to this act, including review of vehicle records to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and private vehicle-for-hire companies to the extent authorized by section 20j-7(b).".

(2) Paragraph (3) is amended as follows:

(A) Subparagraph (A) is amended by striking the word "taxicab" and inserting the phrase "public vehicle-for-hire" in its place.

(B) Subparagraph (E) is amended by striking the word "and" at the end.

(C) Subparagraph (F) is amended by striking the period and inserting a semicolon in its place.

(D) New subparagraphs (G) and (H) are added to read as follows:

"(G) Collecting fees to recover the actual costs of producing and distributing official DFHV vehicle decals, stickers, and information placards; and

"(H) Collecting any other fees authorized and collected pursuant to this act.".

(3) Paragraph (4) is amended as follows:

(A) Subparagraphs (A), (C), and (D) are repealed.

(B) Subparagraph (F) is amended by striking the phrase "hack inspections" and inserting the phrase "vehicle-for-hire inspections" in its place.

(4) Paragraph (5) is amended by striking the phrase "industry." and inserting the phrase "industry, and all complaints lodged against vehicle inspection officers." in its place.

(c) Section 8 (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.07) is amended by striking the word "driver" both times it appears and inserting the word "operator" in its place.

(d) Section 16 (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.15) is amended as follows:

(1) Subsection (a) is amended by striking the word "taxicab" and inserting the word "vehicle-for-hire" in its place.

(2) Subsection (b) is amended by striking the word "drivers" and inserting the word "operators" in its place.

(e) Section 19 (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.18) is amended as follows:

(1) Strike the phrase "to taxicabs contained" and insert the phrase "governing the vehicle-for-hire industry contained" in its place.

(2) Strike the phrase "taxicabs, including" and insert the phrase "the vehicle-for-hire industry, including" in its place.

(f) Section 20a(b) (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.20(b)) is amended as follows:

(1) Subparagraph (B) is amended by striking the phrase "owners of licensed taxicabs" and inserting the phrase "owners and operators of vehicles-for-hire" in its place.

(2) Subparagraph (D) is amended as follows:

(A) Strike the phrase "owners of licensed taxicabs" and insert the phrase "owners and operators of vehicles-for-hire" in its place.

(B) Strike the phrase "directing licensed taxicabs" and insert the phrase "directing vehicles-for-hire" in its place.

(g) Section 20f (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.25) is amended as follows:

(1) Subsection (e) is amended by striking the word "drivers" and inserting the word "operators" in its place.

(2) Subsection (f)(2) is amended by striking the word "driver" and inserting the word "operator" in its place.

(h) Section 20f-2(b) (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.25b(b)) is amended by striking the word "driver's" and inserting the word "operator's" in its place.

(i) Section 20j (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.29) is amended as follows:

(1) Subsection (a) is amended as follows:

(A) Strike the word "driver" and insert the word "operator" in its place.

(B) Strike the word "drivers" wherever it appears and insert the word "operators" in its place.

(2) Subsection (c) is amended by striking the word "driver" and inserting the word "operator" in its place.

(j) Section 20j-1(4)(K) (D.C. Official Code 50-301.29a(4)(K)) is amended by striking the word "driver's" and inserting the word "operator's" in its place.

(k) Section 20l(b)(8) (D.C. Official Code 50-301.31(b)(8)) is amended by striking the word "drivers" and inserting the word "operators" in its place.

(l) Section 20m (D.C. Official Code § 50-301.32) is amended as follows:

(1) Paragraph (2A) is repealed.

(2) Paragraph (3) is amended by striking the phrase "operator against" and inserting the phrase "operator or vehicle inspection officer against" in its place.

(3) Paragraphs (3A) and (3B) are repealed.

Sec. 3. Section 1108(c-2) of the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-139; D.C. Official Code § 1-611.08 (c-2)), is amended by adding a new paragraph (4) to read as follows:

"(4) Community representatives of the For-Hire Vehicle Advisory Council shall be entitled to compensation of $50 per meeting, up to a maximum of $1,350 per member per annum.".

Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report 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. 5. 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), a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register