All motor vehicles and all horse-drawn carriages and buggies owned by the District of Columbia shall be of uniform color and have painted conspicuously thereon, in letters not less than 3 inches high and markedly contrasting in color with the body color of the vehicle, the words, "District of Columbia."
(Mar. 3, 1917, 39 Stat. 1010, ch. 160.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-901.
1973 Ed., § 40-501.
All passenger motor vehicles and watercraft owned by the District of Columbia shall be operated and utilized in conformity with 31 U.S.C. §§ 1343(a) to (d), 1344, and 1349(b), and shall be under the direction and control of the Mayor of the District of Columbia. The Mayor is authorized to alter or change the assignment or direct the alteration or interchangeable use of any passenger motor vehicles or watercraft by officers and employees of the District of Columbia except as otherwise provided in such sections. Limitations on the official use of passenger motor vehicles, as set out in such sections, shall not apply to the Mayor or, with the approval of the Mayor, to officers and employees of the District government the character of whose duties make such transportation necessary.
(Oct. 26, 1973, 87 Stat. 504, Pub. L. 93-140, § 2.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 40-902.
1973 Ed., § 40-501a.
References in Text
"31 U.S.C. §§ 1343(a) to (d), 1344, and 1349(b)", referred to in the first sentence of this section, was substituted for "§ 5 of the Act of July 16, 1914, as amended by § 16 of the Act of August 2, 1946 ( 31 U.S.C. 638a)", "such sections", referred to at the end of the second sentence of this section, was substituted for "such Act", and "such sections", referred to in the last sentence of this section, was substituted for "§ 5 of such Act" on authority of § 4(b) of the Act of September 13, 1982, Pub. L. 97-258.
Miscellaneous Notes
Restrictions on use of appropriated funds to compensate chauffeurs: See Act of October 1, 1976, 90 Stat. 1494, Pub. L. 94-446, § 111; Act of October 30, 1979, 93 Stat. 713, Pub. L. 96-93, § 210.
(a) Except for security, emergency, rescue, or armored vehicles, all passenger automobiles, as defined in the Automobile Fuel Efficiency Act of 1980, approved October 10, 1980 (94 Stat. 1824; 15 U.S.C. 2001(2) ), purchased or leased by the District government shall have an Environmental Protection Agency estimated miles per gallon average of not less than 22 miles per gallon, and shall not be a sports utility vehicle.
(b) The District of Columbia government shall not purchase sport utility vehicles for government use; provided that this section shall not apply to security, emergency rescue, snow removal or armored vehicles.
(Oct. 19, 2000, D.C. Law 13-172, § 3402, 47 DCR 6308; Mar. 25, 2003, D.C. Law 14-231, § 2, 49 DCR 9762; June 12, 2003, D.C. Law 14-310, § 17, 50 DCR 1092; Mar. 13, 2004, D.C. Law 15-105, § 3, 51 DCR 881.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 14-231 rewrote the section heading which formerly read: "EPA Miles Per Gallon Requirement"; redesignated the text as subsection (a); in the newly designated subsec. (a), inserted ", and shall not be a sports utility vehicle" before the period; and added subsec. (b).
D.C. Law 14-310 made no changes in the text, but made the amendments by D.C. Law 14-231 applicable prospectively to October 1, 2004.
D.C. Law 15-105, substituted "emergency, rescue" for "emergency rescue".
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 3402 of the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2000 (D.C. Act 13-438, October 20, 2000, 47 DCR 8740).
Legislative History of Laws
Law 13-172, the "Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Support Act of 2000," was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 13-679, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on May 15, 2000, and June 6, 2000, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on June 26, 2000, it was assigned Act No. 13-175 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 13-172 became effective on October 19, 2000.
Law 14-231, the "Government Sport Utility Vehicle Purchasing Amendment Act of 2002", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 14-454, which was referred to the Committee on Public Works and Environment. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on July 2, 2002, and October 1, 2002, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on October 23, 2002, it was assigned Act No. 14-488 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 14- 231 became effective on March 25, 2003.
Law 14-310, the "Criminal Code and Miscellaneous Technical Amendments Act of 2002", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 14-954, which was referred to the Committee on Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 3, 2002, and December 17, 2002, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on January 22, 2003, it was assigned Act No. 14-622 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 14-310 became effective on June 12, 2003.
Law 15-105, the "Technical Amendments Act of 2003", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 15-437, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 4, 2003, and December 2, 2003, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on January 6, 2004, it was assigned Act No. 15-291 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 15-105 became effective on March 13, 2004.
Miscellaneous Notes
Section 17 of D.C. Law 14-310 added section 2a to D.C. Law 14-231 to read as follows:
"Sec. 2a. This act [D.C. Law 14-231] shall apply as of October 1, 2004."
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no officer or employee of the District may be provided with an official vehicle unless the officer or employee uses the vehicle only in the performance of the officer's or employee's official duties. For purposes of this subsection, the term "official duties" shall not include travel between the officer's or employee's residence and workplace; except in the case of (1) an officer or employee of the Metropolitan Police Department who resides in the District or is otherwise designated by the Chief of the Department; (2) at the discretion of the Fire Chief, an officer or employee of the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department who resides in the District and is on call 24 hours a day; (3) the Mayor; and (4) the Chairman of the Council.
(b)(1) No officer or employee of the executive branch of the District government, except the Mayor, shall utilize the services of any District government employee for use as a chauffeur from residence to work or vice versa, unless such use is authorized first, in writing, by the Mayor. All such authorizations and the cost thereof, shall be reported to the Council on a quarterly basis.
(2) No officer or employee of the executive branch of the District government, except the Mayor, shall utilize the services of any District government employee for use as a chauffeur during the work day unless such use is authorized in writing, by the appropriate agency head. All such authorizations and the cost thereof, shall be reported to the Council on a quarterly basis and made available to the public upon request.
(c) The Mayor shall submit to the Council, by December 15, 2001, an inventory, as of September 30, 2001, of all vehicles owned, leased or operated by the District government. The inventory shall include, but not be limited to, the department to which the vehicle is assigned; the year and make of the vehicle; the acquisition date and cost; the general condition of the vehicle; annual operating and maintenance costs; current mileage; and whether the vehicle is allowed to be taken home by a District officer or employee and if so, the officer or employee's title and resident location.
(Oct. 19, 2000, D.C. Law 13-172, § 3602, 47 DCR 6308.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary (90-day) addition of § 40-931 [1981 Ed.], see § 3402 of the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2000 (D.C. Act 13-376, July 24, 2000, 47 DCR 6574).
For temporary (90-day) addition of § 40-951 [1981 Ed.], see § 3602 of the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2000 (D.C. Act 13-376, July 24, 2000, 47 DCR 6574).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 3602 of the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2000 (D.C. Act 13-438, October 20, 2000, 47 DCR 8740).
Legislative History of Laws
For Law 13-172, see notes following § 50-203.
Miscellaneous Notes
Section 120 of Pub. L. 107-96 provides:
"(a) RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF OFFICIAL VEHICLES. -- Except as otherwise provided in this section, none of the funds made available by this Act or by any other Act may be used to provide any officer or employee of the District of Columbia with an official vehicle unless the officer or employee uses the vehicle only in the performance of the officer's or employee's official duties. For purposes of this paragraph, the term 'official duties' does not include travel between the officer's or employee's residence and workplace (except: (1) in the case of an officer or employee of the Metropolitan Police Department who resides in the District of Columbia or is otherwise designated by the Chief of the Department; (2) at the discretion of the Fire Chief, an officer or employee of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department who resides in the District of Columbia and is on call 24 hours a day; (3) the Mayor of the District of Columbia; and (4) the Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia).
"(b) INVENTORY OF VEHICLES. -- The Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia shall submit, by November 15, 2001, an inventory, as of September 30, 2001, of all vehicles owned, leased or operated by the District of Columbia government. The inventory shall include, but not be limited to, the department to which the vehicle is assigned; the year and make of the vehicle; the acquisition date and cost; the general condition of the vehicle; annual operating and maintenance costs; current mileage; and whether the vehicle is allowed to be taken home by a District officer or employee and if so, the officer or employee's title and resident location.
"(c) No officer or employee of the District of Columbia government (including any independent agency of the District but excluding the Office of the Chief Technology Officer, the Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia, and the Metropolitan Police Department) may enter into an agreement in excess of $2,500 for the procurement of goods or services on behalf of any entity of the District government until the officer or employee has conducted an analysis of how the procurement of the goods and services involved under the applicable regulations and procedures of the District government would differ from the procurement of the goods and services involved under the Federal supply schedule and other applicable regulations and procedures of the General Services Administration, including an analysis of any differences in the costs to be incurred and the time required to obtain the goods or services."
(a) The Mayor shall:
(1) Equip all District-owned, heavy-duty vehicles with the following:
(A) Blind-spot mirrors;
(B) Reflective blind-spot warning stickers; and
(C) [Not funded]
(2) Require that operators of District-owned, heavy-duty vehicles receive bicycle and pedestrian safety training from a curriculum and instructors that are approved by the District Department of Transportation.
(b) The Mayor, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, shall issue rules to implement the provisions of this section within 180 days of March 25, 2009.
(Mar. 25, 2009, D.C. Law 17-352, § 2, 56 DCR 1115.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
Law 17-352, the "Bicycle Safety Enhancement Amendment Act of 2008", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 17-981 which was referred to the Committee on Public Works and the Environment. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 2, 2008, and December 16, 2008, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on January 15, 2009, it was assigned Act No. 17-686 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 17-352 became effective on March 25, 2009.
Miscellaneous Notes
Section 4 of D.C. Law 17-352 provides that section 2(a)(1)(C) shall apply upon inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.
The Budget Director of the Council of the District of Columbia has determined, as of February 15, 2012, that the fiscal effect of section 2(a)(1)(C) of Law 17-352 has not been included in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore, the provisions of this section, enacted by Law 17-352, are not in effect.
