D.C. Act 23-251. Leave to Vote Emergency Amendment Act of 2020.

AN ACT

To amend, on an emergency basis, the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955 to provide students with an excused absence of at least 2 hours to vote in person in any election held under the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955, or, if the student is not registered to vote in the District, in any election run by the jurisdiction in which the student is registered to vote, and to allow the educational institution to specify the hours during which the student may take leave, including by requiring that the student take leave during a period designated for early voting instead of on the day of the election.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Leave to Vote Emergency Amendment Act of 2020".

Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Election Code of 1955, approved August 12, 1955 (69 Stat. 699; D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.01 et seq.), is amended by adding a new section 7a to read as follows:

"Sec. 7a. Leave to vote.

"(a) For the purposes of this section, the term:

"(1) "Educational institution" means any school in the District of Columbia Public Schools system, a public charter school, an independent school, a private school, a parochial school, or a private instructor in the District.

"(2) "Student" means any person who is enrolled in an educational institution who is eligible to vote.

"(b) Upon the request of a student, an educational institution shall provide the student an excused absence of at least 2 hours to vote in person in any election held under this act, or, if the student is not registered to vote in the District, in any election run by the jurisdiction in which the student is registered to vote. An educational institution may specify the hours during which the student may take the leave, including by requiring that the student take the leave during any period designated for early voting instead of on the day of the election.".

Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director 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. 4. 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), and shall remain in effect for no longer than 90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)).