Councllmember Jack Evans
A BILL IN THE COUNCIL
OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Councilmember Jack Evans introduced the following bill, which was referred to the
Committee on____
To designate The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. as the Official State
Historical Society of the District of Columbia and to repeal the Museum of the City of
Washington Act of 1980.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as
the "Official State Historical Society Act of 1997".
Sec. 2. Designation of Official State Historical Society.
(a) The Historical Society of Washington, D.C. ("Society"), a private,
non-profit organization, is hereby designated as the official historical society of the
District of Columbia.
(b) The purpose of the Society shall be to collect, publish, and exhibit documents and
objects for the purpose of their preservation and to educate the public about the history
of the District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. Funding.
(a) The Society shall be authorized to apply for and accept funding from any public or
private source including, but not limited to, the National Historical Publications and
Records Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the
Humanities, other federal sources, the District of Columbia, and private sector sources.
(b) The Society is authorized to charge reasonable fees for services offered to the
public.
Sec. 4. Contracting Authority.
(a) The Society shall be authorized to enter into contracts with the District of
Columbia Government to carry out appropriate governmental services for agreed upon fees
including, but not limited to, the archival preservation of District government documents
and objects.
(b) The foregoing shall in no way impair or restrict the private operation of the
Society.
Sec. 5. The Museum of the City of Washington Act of 1980, effective
July 26, 1980 (D.C. Law 3-79; D.C. Code 31-2101 et seq.), is repealed.
Sec. 6. The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the
committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 602(c)(3) of the
District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, approved
December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code §1- 233(c)(3)).
Sec. 7. This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or
in the event of a veto by the Mayor, action by the Council of the District of Columbia to
override the veto), approval by the Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance
Authority as provided in section 203(a) of the District of Columbia Financial
Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority Act of 1995, approved April 17, 1995
(109 Stat. 116; D.C. Code §47-392.3(a)), and 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. Code §§33(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
Columbia Register.