D.C. Law 25-4. Hotel Enhanced Cleaning and Notice of Service Disruption Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2023.

AN ACT

To amend, on a temporary basis, An Act to revise certain laws relating to the liability of hotels, motels, and similar establishments in the District of Columbia to their guests to authorize the Mayor to issue rules to establish requirements for cleaning and maintenance of hotels and motel rooms, with the exception of certain establishments operating on an extended stay model, and to establish standards for public notice of lodging establishment service disruptions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Hotel Enhanced Cleaning and Notice of Service Disruption Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2023".

Sec. 2. An Act to revise certain laws relating to the liability of hotels, motels, and similar establishments in the District of Columbia to their guests, approved December 8, 1970 (84 Stat. 1396; D.C. Official Code § 30-101 et seq.), is amended by adding a new section 3a to read as follows:

"Sec. 3a. Cleaning and maintenance of hotels and motels and public notice of service disruptions.

"(a)(1) The Mayor, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, effective October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), may issue rules to establish requirements for the cleaning and maintenance of hotels, motels, and other lodging establishments (collectively "lodging establishments") and to establish standards for public notice of actual or potential disruptions to service at, or use or enjoyment of, lodging establishments.

"(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, a lodging establishment shall not be required to clean guest rooms on a daily basis that contain a kitchen, defined as a cooking facility that includes a permanently affixed cooktop appliance consisting of two or more burners, with or without an oven, with a power supply served by either an electrical connection or a natural gas line, unless specifically requested by a guest.

"(b) Civil fines and penalties may be imposed by the Mayor pursuant to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Civil Infractions Act of 1985, effective October 5, 1985 (D.C. Law 6-42; D.C. Official Code § 2-1801.01 et seq.) ("Civil Infractions Act"), for infraction of the rules. The adjudication of any such infraction, fine, or penalty shall be pursuant to the Civil Infractions Act.".

Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Chief Financial Officer 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.

(a) 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), a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.

(b) This act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.