Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act
Protecting Our Nation’s Capital Emergency Act
Plain Language Summary
# Summary of HR 2096: Protecting Our Nation's Capital Emergency Act **What the bill does:** This bill would reverse several changes made to Washington, D.C. police discipline rules in 2023. Specifically, it would restore a 90-day time limit for taking disciplinary action against Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers, allow disciplinary matters to be negotiated through union contracts, remove the police chief's power to increase recommended penalties for officer misconduct, and eliminate requirements to publicly post schedules of termination-related disciplinary hearings online. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects MPD officers and civilian employees, as well as the D.C.
police department's management and unions. It could also impact the public's ability to access information about police disciplinary proceedings. **Current status:** The bill has passed the House of Representatives and is pending further action in Congress. Supporters argue it improves police department operations and labor relations, while critics contend that some provisions, particularly removing public hearing schedules, reduce transparency in police accountability.
CRS Official Summary
Protecting Our Nation's Capital Emergency Act of 2025This bill rescinds certain changes that were made in 2023 to District of Columbia (DC) law governing discipline of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers.First, the bill reinstates a 90-day statute of limitations (i.e., time limit) for initiating a corrective or adverse action against any MPD officer or civilian employee. The bill also allows officer disciplinary matters to be negotiated as part of a collective bargaining agreement. Next, the bill eliminates the MPD police chief's authority to increase the police trial board's recommended penalty for officer misconduct.Finally, the bill eliminates a requirement that MPD publish a schedule online of disciplinary hearings for which the proposed action is termination, including the date, time, and underlying allegations.
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.