Bill
B 26-0658
The bill formalizes and requests federal funding for DC’s FY2027 budget across courts, public safety, education, health, transit, and infrastructure to operate and support local go
Jurisdiction: District of Columbia (Washington, DC)
Session: 26
Sponsor: Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (also co-sponsor)
Purpose and overall intent
- The bill adopts the federal portion of the District of Columbia’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget as a formal request to Congress for appropriation and authorization of federal funding support to the DC government.
- It is part of DC’s annual budget process to outline the federal funds required to operate the local government, including courts, public defender services, criminal justice, education-related programs, health, safety, transit, and essential infrastructure.
- The act is designed to secure federal support aligned with the Grow DC budget framework, reflecting DC’s fiscal needs in the context of evolving economic conditions post-COVID and ongoing federal job and telework impacts.
Key provisions and funding amounts
- The bill provides a detailed appropriation for various federal payments to DC government functions. Notable line items include:
- District of Columbia Courts (federal funds): $273,977,000
- Breakdown includes specific allocations for the Court of Appeals, Superior Court, and the District of Columbia Court System; caps on official reception and representation expenses; and $21,927,000 for capital improvements available through Sept 30, 2028. Quarterly apportionment and potential reallocation provisions are included.
- Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA): $277,260,000
- Includes allowances for Community Supervision, Pretrial Services, Sex Offender Registration, and related program incentives; quarterly apportionment.
- District of Columbia Public Defender Service: $53,382,000
- May establish a program similar to the federal judiciary personnel programs; allows procurement flexibility and aligns with federal procurement practices.
- Resident Tuition Support (Federal): $40,000,000
- Creates a dedicated account controlled by the DC Chief Financial Officer to fund resident tuition support, covering in-state/out-of-state tuition differentials or up to $2,500 per year at eligible private institutions; includes quarterly reporting obligations.
- School Improvement (Opportunity Scholarships): $52,500,000
- Funding under the Scholarship for Opportunity and Results Act; prioritizes eligibility and adherence to protections for students, with limitations on use (e.g., cannot fund schools lacking required civil rights protections and IDEA-equivalent safeguards).
- Criminal Justice Coordinating Council: $2,750,000
- District of Columbia Guardian and related judicial commissions: $46,005,000 (Guardian Ad Litem-related services) and $598,000 for the Commission on Judicial Disabilities and Tenure; $350,000 for the Judicial Nomination Commission.
- DC National Guard: $600,000
- Retention and college access program.
- HIV/AIDS testing and treatment: $4,000,000
- Emergency planning and security costs in the DC area: $70,000,000
- Covers public safety costs related to the National Capital region, including support to the U.S. Secret Service and response to threats or attacks.
- DC Water and Sewer Authority (DC WASA): $14,000,000
- Requires a 100% match from DC WASA; funds remain available until expended.
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA): $158,000,000
- For capital and preventive maintenance projects aligned with WMATA’s Capital Improvement Plan and the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008.
Administration, oversight, and transparency
- The bill requires quarterly apportionment by the DC Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and obligational/expedient expenditure in line with federal government practices for each funded item.
- It includes sunset-like provisions (money remains available until expended for several items) and provides mechanisms to reallocate up to certain thresholds after notification to congressional appropriations committees (e.g., up to $9,000,000 reallocation for certain court items).
- Quarterly financial reporting is required for dedicated accounts (e.g., Resident Tuition Support Program funds).
Effective date and relation to other measures
- The act takes effect as provided under the District of Columbia Home Rule Act (consistent with other DC budget-related acts).
- This bill is part of a coordinated package that includes the Local Budget Act of 2026 and Budget Support Act, and accompanying measures such as revised local budget emergency acts.
Procedural status
- Legal sufficiency review: Attorney General certified the bill as legally sufficient in form.
- Action history: Introduced April 14, 2026; referred to Committee of the Whole on April 21, 2026.
Impact and who is affected
- Stateful impact: Direct federal funding allocations to key DC government functions, influencing operations of courts, public defender services, criminal justice coordination, education-related student aid, emergency planning, public safety, transit, water/sewer projects, and infrastructure improvements.
- Beneficiaries include DC residents and institutions relying on DC-funded services, courts, and schools, as well as federal entities partnering with DC on public safety and infrastructure.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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