§ 2–1382. Establishment of the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Affairs; Advisory Committee.

(a) There is established the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Affairs ("Office").

(b) The Mayor shall appoint a Director of the Office with the advice and consent of the Council, pursuant to § 1-523.01(a), and shall fix the compensation of the Director pursuant to subchapter X-A of Chapter 6 of Title 1; except, that this subsection shall not apply to a Director of the Office appointed by the Mayor prior to September 18, 2024.

(c) The Director is authorized to hire staff in the Career Service, consistent with budgetary authorization, as he or she deems necessary to perform the functions of the Office. The Director may engage qualified volunteers in accordance with District law.

(d) The Director shall have authority to delegate to other employees of the Office any of the Director's duties and powers.

(e) The Mayor shall establish an Advisory Committee, consisting of not more than 25 public members who shall be representative of the diversity of people and ideas within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community. The Advisory Committee shall include, at a minimum, representation from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community organizations representing health, social service, religious, and human rights issues, and its members shall be representative of the diversity in the community with regard to socioeconomic status, religion, race, ethnicity, gender identification, age, and families. The Advisory Committee shall advise the Director and the Mayor on issues relating to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community and on issues relating to the mission of the Office.

(f) Nothing in this section shall prevent the Mayor from utilizing existing resources of the Executive Office of the Mayor to provide central administrative support to the Office, including use of office space and equipment, procurement, human resources, and agency fiscal operations.

(Apr. 4, 2006, D.C. Law 16-89, § 3, 53 DCR 1084; Oct. 22, 2015, D.C. Law 21-36, § 1022(b), 62 DCR 10905; July 15, 2024, D.C. Act 25-506, § 1092(a), 71 DCR 8406; Sept. 18, 2024, D.C. Law 25-217, § 1092(a), 71 DCR 9990.)

Section References

This section is referenced in § 2-1381.

Effect of Amendments

The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 21-36 substituted “Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Affairs” for “Office of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Affairs” throughout the section; and substituted “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community” for “gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community” throughout the section.

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 1092(a) of Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2024 (D.C. Act 25-506, July 15, 2024, 71 DCR 8406).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 1022(b) of the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-127, July 27, 2015, 62 DCR 10201).

Editor's Notes

Sections 2, 3, and 4(b) of D.C. Law 25-176 required the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Affairs ("Office") to research and produce a report on Black LGBTQIA+ history in the District; established an Advisory Committee to provide guidance and feedback on the development of the report; and provided that expenses incurred by the Advisory Committee as a whole, or by an individual member when the expenses are duly authorized by the Office, shall be reimbursed pursuant D.C. Code § 1-611.08(d).