Norton Bill to Finish What 1973 Home Rule Act Started (7/29/2010)

Norton Bill to Finish What 1973 Home Rule Act Started

July 29, 2010

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) announced that Norton will introduce a bill, the District of Columbia Full Self-Government Act, today to grant the District of Columbia almost complete home rule. Norton's bill would mark the most significant advance in the District's local autonomy since Congress first created the District government's structure and operating rules and placed them in the charter of the Home Rule Act of 1973, where most can be changed only by Congress. Norton's bill would eliminate almost all of the requirements and limitations imposed on the District by Congress under the Home Rule Act, so that the District could structure its operations and provide services in any manner that it chooses. "This bill would revolutionize home rule in the District," Norton said. "Virtually no matters involving the city's governance, structure, or operations would come to the Congress. Aside from statehood or voting rights bill, no bill would do more to grant the federal taxpaying citizens of the District of Columbia their equal citizenship rights."

Under Norton's bill, the District's government would be able to operate similarly to how most state and local governments operate. For example, the District, like every state, would be able to set its own fiscal year. Under the Home Rule Act, the District's general government fiscal year must begin in October, while its fiscal year for schools must begin in July. In contrast, almost every state and local government's fiscal years for all operations begin in July, enabling these jurisdictions to better plan and coordinate their operations and services.

In addition, the District would no longer have to come to Congress before it could make changes to its operations. For example, the District's major change in school governance structure eliminating the school board and placing responsibility for schools in the Mayor was held up for weeks because it had to be enacted by Congress. Holds were placed on the bill for weeks until Norton negotiated them away, but the delay caused serious problems for the opening of schools. Recently, Norton has had to introduce a bill, now moving through Congress, to reduce the waiting period for holding special elections to fill vacancies on the city council from 114 days to 70 days. Previously, Ward 4 and Ward 7 were left without representation because the council could not reduce the period to fill vacancies.

Norton's bill would accomplish what she has been fighting for since she entered Congress: legislative and budget autonomy for the District. This bill, like Norton's stand-alone budget and legislative autonomy bills, which she hopes to get through Congress this year, would eliminate the requirement that the city's laws layover in Congress for 30 or 60 days before they take effect, and would eliminate the requirement that the city's local budget has to be affirmatively approved by Congress before it takes effect.

The Norton bill would not only remove Congress from the District's legislative process, it would free the District to operate and provide services as it sees fit. The bill would eliminate all of the budget, financial management, audit and borrowing requirements imposed on the city by the Home Rule Act, and would permit the city to set the powers, organization and procedures of the Office of the Mayor and the city council. It is important to note that this bill would have no effect on existing contractual or other financial obligations incurred by the District, or on any elected or appointed District official or other District employee, or on any pending legal actions or proceedings.

Even with Norton's bill, however, there would be two important limitations on the District's autonomy. First, Congress would retain its ultimate legislative authority over the District under the U.S. Constitution. The only way to eliminate total congressional authority would be to amend the Constitution or to make the District a state. Second, like the Home Rule Act, Norton's bill specifically precludes the city council from legislating over certain matters, such as height limitations on buildings.