Volunteer Services Clarification Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025
Summary
This resolution declares an emergency to support a companion amendment to the District’s Volunteers Services Act of 1977. Its purpose is to clarify that the District of Columbia Attorney General has authority to issue regulations governing the Office of the Attorney General’s use of volunteers. The resolution explains that the existing statute predates the Attorney General’s status as an independently elected office and does not expressly address OAG’s separate rulemaking authority.
The measure is tied to the continued use of volunteers in the Office of the Attorney General, including attorneys, interns, and other contributors who assist with legal, policy, investigatory, research, mediation, and constituent-service work. The Council states that immediate action is needed so OAG can keep using volunteers without interruption and avoid delays or operational harm across its programs, divisions, and cases. Because it is an emergency declaration, the resolution takes effect immediately and is intended to allow the underlying amendment to move on an expedited basis.
Impact
If adopted, the resolution supports an emergency amendment to the Volunteers Services Act by confirming that the Attorney General may promulgate separate regulations for volunteer use within OAG. It does not itself rewrite the underlying volunteer statute, but it enables immediate legislative action so OAG can continue accepting volunteer services under clear regulatory authority. The practical effect is to preserve volunteer-supported operations at the agency while aligning the statute with the Attorney General’s independent personnel authority and elected status.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment appears strongly supportive and noncontroversial. The Council approved the resolution unanimously on final reading, 12-0, indicating broad agreement that the clarification was necessary and urgent. The bill text frames the issue as an administrative and operational fix rather than a policy dispute, and the discussion record provided does not show opposition or divided views.
Contention
The main issue identified in the bill is a statutory gap: the Volunteers Services Act authorizes volunteer use by District agencies generally, but does not explicitly say the independently elected Attorney General can issue separate volunteer regulations for OAG. The Council’s concern is less about whether volunteers should be used and more about ensuring the Attorney General has clear legal authority to manage them independently. No significant opposition is reflected in the available record; the only notable point of emphasis is the urgency of avoiding disruption to OAG’s work if the clarification were delayed.
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