Councilmember Harold Brazil
Councilmember Carol Schwartz
A BILL IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Councilmember Harold Brazil introduced the following bill, which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
To amend An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia to require the
court to impose a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for a
defendant convicted of murder in the first degree.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited
"District of Columbia First Degree Murder Penalty Amendment Act of l 999".
Sec. 2. An Act To establish a code of law for the District of
Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1321; D.C. Code §22-2401 and §22-2404.1), is
amended as follows:
(a) Section 801 (D.C. Code §2-2404) is amended as follows:
(1) Subsection (a) is amended to read as follows:
"(a) The punishment for murder in the first degree shall be life imprisonment
without the possibility of parole.".(2) Subsection (b) is repealed.
(b) Section 801 (D.C. Code §22-2404.1) is repealed.
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
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. 4. Effective date.
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 Act of 1995, approved April 17, 1995 (109 Stat. 116; D. C. Code §47-392.3(c)),
a 60-day period of Congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(2) of the District
of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, approved December 24,
1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code §1-233(c)(2)), and publication in the District of Columbia
Register.