The Mayor, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, may issue rules regarding towing and impoundment of vehicles in connection with enforcement of the District's parking restrictions and to establish the amount of, and implement a system for collecting, a vehicle conveyance fee.
(Sept. 12, 1978, D.C. Law 2-104, § 505, 25 DCR 1275; Mar. 20, 2009, D.C. Law 17-303, § 4(d), 55 DCR 12803.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-704.
1973 Ed., § 40-603.1.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 17-303 rewrote the section, which had read as follows:
"The Mayor of the District of Columbia is authorized to establish from time to time a reasonable fee to be charged for the cost of storing impounded vehicles. Such storage fee shall not be charged for the first 24 hour period in which a vehicle is impounded."
Legislative History of Laws
For legislative history of D.C. Law 2-104, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 50-2201.03.
For Law 17-303, see notes following § 50-2201.02.
Any person aggrieved by the assessment of any tax imposed by § 50-2201.03(j) may, within 6 months from the date the person entitled to a certificate of title was notified of the amount of such tax, appeal to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in the same manner and to the same extent as set forth in §§ 47-3303, 47-3304, 47-3306, 47-3307 and 47-3308, and as the same may hereafter be amended.
(May 27, 1949, 63 Stat. 129, title III, ch. 146, § 303; July 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 573, 581, Pub. L. 91-358, title I, §§ 156(a), 161(d)(2).)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-705.
1973 Ed., § 40-605-1.
The Mayor of the District of Columbia may enter into an interstate agreement with the Commonwealth of Virginia or with the State of Maryland, or with both, pursuant to which the parties to such agreement may assist each other in the enforcement of its laws relating to traffic (including parking violations).
(June 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 392, Pub. L. 92-327, § 2.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-706.
1973 Ed., § 40-603-2.
Change in Government
This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to the District of Columbia Council and to a Commissioner of the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 (D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act (D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.
The employee of the Department of Transportation who is charged with the immediate responsibility for, and exercises supervision over, the issuance of tags and certificates of title and the registration of motor vehicles and trailers shall be known as the Registrar of Titles and Tags.
(June 28, 1944, 58 Stat. 527, ch. 300, § 1.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-707.
1973 Ed., § 40-603a.
Miscellaneous Notes
Department of Vehicles and Traffic abolished: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 50-2201.03.
After June 28, 1944, no part of any District of Columbia appropriations shall be available for any expense for or incident to the issuance of congressional tags except to those persons set out in § 50-2201.03, including the Speaker and the Vice President.
(June 28, 1944, 58 Stat. 532, ch. 300, § 8.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-708.
1973 Ed., § 40-603b.
Each Senator, member of the House of Representatives, and other individual who is authorized by law to be issued a congressional tag for his automobile shall, upon application therefor, be entitled to be issued a duplicate tag bearing the same number.
(Aug. 5, 1977, 91 Stat. 684, Pub. L. 95-94, title IV, § 410.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-709.
1973 Ed., § 40-603c.
All convictions under §§ 50-1403.01, 50-2201.03, 50-2201.04, and 50-2201.05 shall be reported by the Clerk of the Court to the Mayor or his designated agent.
(Feb. 27, 1931, 46 Stat. 1429, ch. 317, § 5.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-720.
1973 Ed., § 40-612.
Change in Government
This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 (D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act (D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.
(a) When official traffic-control signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall stop and give the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.
(b) A pedestrian who has begun crossing on the "WALK" signal shall be given the right-of-way by the driver of any vehicle to continue to the opposite sidewalk or safety island, whichever is nearest.
(c) Any person convicted of failure to stop and give the right-of-way to a pedestrian or of colliding with a pedestrian shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500, or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both. Any person convicted of a violation of this section may be sentenced to perform community service as an alternative to, but not in addition to, any term of imprisonment authorized by this section.
(c-1) Civil fines, penalties, and fees may be imposed by the Department of Motor Vehicles as alternative sanctions for any infraction of the provisions of this section, or rules or regulations issued under the authority of this section, pursuant to Chapter 23 of this title. Adjudication of any infraction shall be pursuant to Chapter 23 of this title.
(d) The Mayor of the District of Columbia ("Mayor") shall submit to the Council of the District of Columbia ("Council") a proposed plan for an extensive public information program on the rights and responsibilities of pedestrians and drivers. This proposed plan shall include proposals for increasing police enforcement of pedestrian right-of-way laws. The proposed plan shall be submitted to the Council within 90 days of October 9, 1987, for a 45-day period of review, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days of Council recess. If the Council does not approve or disapprove the proposed plan, in whole or in part, by resolution within this 45-day review period, the proposed plan shall be deemed approved.
(e) Prosecution for violations under this section shall be conducted in the name of the District of Columbia by the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, or his or her assistants, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
(Oct. 9, 1987, D.C. Law 7-34, § 2, 34 DCR 5316; Mar. 16, 2005, D.C. Law 15-224, § 2, 51 DCR 10533; Mar. 2, 2007, D.C. Law 16-191, § 114, 53 DCR 6794; Nov. 25, 2008, D.C. Law 17-269, § 2, 55 DCR 11015; Dec. 2, 2011, D.C. Law 19-49, § 2, 58 DCR 8945.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-726.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 15-224 rewrote subsec. (a) and, in subsec. (c), substituted 'stop and give' for "yield'. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) read:
"(a) When official traffic-control signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection."
D.C. Law 16-191 added subsec. (e).
D.C. Law 17-269 added subsec. (c-1).
D.C. Law 19-49 rewrote subsec. (c-1), which had read as follows:
"(c-1) Civil fines, penalties, and fees may be imposed as alternative sanctions for any infraction of the provisions of this section, or the rules or regulations issued under the authority of this section, pursuant to Chapter 18 of Title 2. Adjudication of any infractions shall be pursuant to Chapter 18 of Title 2."
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Pedestrian Safety Reinforcement Emergency Amendment Act of 2011 (D.C. Act 19-135, August 9, 2011, 58 DCR 6798).
Legislative History of Laws
Law 7-34, "Pedestrian Protection Amendment Act of 1987," was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 7-166, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 16, 1987 and June 30, 1987, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 23, 1987, it was assigned Act No. 7-62 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.
Law 15-224, the "Pedestrian Protection Right-of-Way at Crosswalks Amendment Act of 2004", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 15-43, which was referred to the Committee on Public Works and Environment. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on July 13, 2004, and October 5, 2004, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on November 1, 2004, it was assigned Act No. 15-563 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 15- 224 became effective on March 16, 2005.
For Law 16-191, see notes following § 50-921.09.
Law 17-269, the "Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Amendment Act of 2008", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 17-539 which was referred to the Committee on Public Works and the Environment. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on July 15, 2008, and September 16, 2008, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on September 30, 2008, it was assigned Act No. 17-522 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 17-269 became effective on November 25, 2008.
Law 19-49, the "Pedestrian Safety Reinforcement Amendment Act of 2011", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 19-291, which was referred to the Committee on Public Works and Transportation. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on July 12, 2011, and September 20, 2011, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on October 11, 2011, it was assigned Act No. 19-179 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 19-49 became effective on December 2, 2011.
(a) A motor vehicle driver shall be prohibited from passing to the left and pulling in front of a bus to make a right turn when the bus is at a bus stop at an intersection to receive or discharge passengers; the vehicle shall stay or merge behind the bus to effect its turn.
(b) A person violating subsection (a) of this section shall be subject to a fine of $100.00 or twice the fine prescribed for illegal turns, whichever is greater.
(c) Within 60 days of September 29, 2006, the Mayor shall ensure that affixed on the rear of each bus operating in the District of Columbia is a sticker or decal advising drivers of the prohibition described in subsection (a) of this section.
(d) Nothing in this section shall relieve the operator of a bus from complying with all applicable traffic regulations or from otherwise exercising due caution in the operation of a bus.
(e) For the purposes of this section, "Bus" means public transit such as Metrobuses, the Downtown Circulator, the Georgetown Blue Buses, Maryland and Virginia State commuter charters, and Tourmobile vehicles.
(Oct. 9, 1987, D.C. Law 7-34, § 2a, as added Sept. 29, 2006, D.C. Law 16- 165, § 2, 53 DCR 6190.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
Law 16-165, the "Pedestrian Protection Bus Safety Amendment Act of 2006", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 16-188 which was referred to the Committee on Public Works and Environment The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 20, 2006, and July 11, 2006, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 18, 2006, it was assigned Act No. 16-433 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 16-165 became effective on September 29, 2006.
The District Department of Transportation shall develop and implement a plan to create and post special signs with the following or substantially similar notation: "D.C. Law: Failure to stop for pedestrians in crosswalk punishable by $250 fine". The signs shall be posted at selected District crosswalks and intersections to alert motorists of the fine for this infraction. The Director of the District Department of Transportation shall be responsible for determining which crosswalks and intersections shall have the signs.
(Nov. 25, 2008, D.C. Law 17-269, § 4, 55 DCR 11015; Sept. 26, 2012, D.C. Law 19-171, § 141, 59 DCR 6190.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 19-171, in the section heading, validated a previously made technical correction.
Legislative History of Laws
For Law 17-269, see notes following § 50-2201.28.
For history of Law 19-171, see notes under § 50-921.02.
