• Current through October 23, 2012

As used in this subchapter the term:

(1) "Mayor" means the Mayor of the District of Columbia, or his designated agent.

(2) "Court" means the court in the District of Columbia having the necessary civil jurisdiction pursuant to § 11-501 or § 11-921.

(3) "District" means the government of the District of Columbia, a municipal corporation.

(4) "Emergency run" means the movement of a District-owned vehicle, by direction of the operator or of some other authorized person or agency, under circumstances which lead the operator or such persons or agency to believe that such vehicle should proceed expeditiously upon a particular mission or to a designated location for the purpose of dealing with a supposed fire or other emergency, an alleged violation of a statute or regulation, or other incident requiring emergency action, or the prompt transportation to a place of treatment or greater safety of an alleged sick or injured person.

(5) "Emergency vehicle" means a vehicle assigned:

(A) To the Fire Department of the District or to the Metropolitan Police Department and not designated by the Mayor as a nonemergency vehicle; or

(B) To other departments or officials of the District and designated by the Mayor as an emergency vehicle.

(6) "Employee" means a person serving as an officer or employee of the District, whether or not paid by the District, or a person formerly so engaged, or the representative of a deceased officer or employee of the District.

(7) "Vehicle" means every type of conveyance or machine capable of movement on land, or in water or air, including an animal being ridden and any animal-drawn machinery or conveyance.

(8) "Medical employees of the District of Columbia" shall include physicians, psychologists, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists, nurses, nursing assistants, emergency medical technician, emergency medical technician/intermediate paramedic, emergency medical technician/paramedic, physicians' assistants, laboratory technicians, physical therapists, osteopaths, chiropodists and chiropractors in the employment of the District of Columbia.

(July 14, 1960, 74 Stat. 519, Pub. L. 86-654, § 2; July 8, 1963, 77 Stat. 77, Pub. L. 88-60, § 1; July 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 575, Pub. L. 91-358, title I, § 157(h); Mar. 26, 1976, D.C. Law 1-59, § 2, 22 DCR 5473; Sept. 28, 1977, D.C. Law 2-25, § 4, 24 DCR 3718; Aug. 1, 1981, D.C. Law 4-25, § 4, 28 DCR 2622; April 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-169, § 2, 43 DCR 4478.)

HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 1-1211.

1973 Ed., § 1-921.

Legislative History of Laws

Law 1-59 was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 1-204, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Criminal Law. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 2, 1975 and December 16, 1975, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on January 9, 1976, it was assigned Act No. 1-84 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.

Law 2-25 was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 2-136, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 14, 1977 and June 28, 1977, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 8, 1977, it was assigned Act No. 2-56 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.

Law 4-25 was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 4-198, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on May 5, 1981, and May 19, 1981, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on June 5, 1981, it was assigned Act No. 4-46 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.

Law 11-169, the "Commissioner Mental Health Services Psychologists Protection Amendment Act of 1996," was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 11-115, which was referred to the Committee on Human Services. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 4, 1996, and July 3, 1996, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 19, 1996, it was assigned Act No. 11-316 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 11-169 became effective on April 9, 1997.

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.