ORIGINAL
A RESOLUTION IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
July 2. 2002
To approve the proposed advisory referendum, which shall ask the
electorate if the Home Rule Act should be amended to establish an Office
of the District Attorney for the District of Columbia, headed by a locally
elected and independent District Attorney who shall be the chief legal
officer for the District of Columbia and who shall prosecute all local
criminal laws and perform any related functions, thereby relieving the
federal government of the burden of prosecuting the local criminal laws of
the District of Columbia, and who shall have authority over civil
enforcement of local law and over any other legal function, as provided by
local law.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution
may be cited as the "Establishment of an Office of the District
Attorney Advisory Referendum Approval Resolution of 2002".
Sec. 2. (a) Pursuant to section 412(b) of the District of Columbia Home
Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 784; D.C. Official Code §
1-204.12(b)), the Council seeks to request that Congress amend the
District of Columbia Home Rule Act to establish an Office of the District
Attorney and hereby approves an advisory referendum, which shall ask the
voters whether such an office should be established, to read as follows:
"ADVISORY REFERENDUM A"
Short Title
"Advisory Referendum on the Establishment of an Office of the
District Attorney for the District of Columbia Resolution of 2002".
Summary Statement
To ask the voters on November 5, 2002, through an advisory referendum,
if the Home Rule Act should be amended to establish an Office of the
District Attorney for the District of Columbia, headed by a locally
elected, independent District Attorney. On the next Mayoral election,
following a one-time, initial appointment by the Mayor with approval of
the Council, a District Attorney shall be elected to serve a 4-year term,
be the chief legal officer for the District of Columbia, and prosecute all
local criminal laws and perform any related functions, thereby relieving
the federal government of the burden of prosecuting the local criminal
laws of the District of Columbia, and have authority over civil
enforcement of local law and over any other legal function, as provided by
local law.
Shall the voters of the District of Columbia advise the Council to
approve or reject this proposal?
YES, to approve
NO, to reject
(b) The expenditure of funds necessary to implement this resolution are
subject to the availability of appropriations.
Sec. 3. 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 Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat.
813; D.C. Official Code §1206.02(c)(3)).
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first
date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.