District of Columbia legislation · 26th Council
District of Columbia PR829: Parking and Traffic Ticket Penalty Reduction Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026
Status: In committee, October 20, 2026
What the bill says
To amend, on a temporary basis, the District of Columbia Traffic Adjudication Act of 1978 to remove the penalty equal to the amount of a civil fine for failure to answer a notice of infraction within days when the infraction has been detected by an automated traffic enforcement system or involves a parking, standing, stopping or pedestrian offense. RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the "Parking and Traffic Ticket Penalty Reduction Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026." Sec. 2. (a) There is an immediate need to amend the District of C.
From the introduced text, October 19, 2026:
to amend, on a temporary basis, the District of Columbia Traffic Adjudication Act of 1978 to remove the penalty equal to the amount of a civil fine for failure to answer a notice of infraction within days when the infraction has been detected by an automated traffic enforcement system or involves a parking, standing, stopping or pedestrian offense. RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the "Parking and Traffic Ticket Penalty Reduction Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026." Sec. 2. (a) There is an immediate need to amend the District of Columbia Traffic Adjudication Act of 1978 to remove the penalty equal to the amount of a civil fine for failure to answer a notice of infraction within 30 days when the infraction has been detected by an automated traffic enforcement system or involves a parking, standing, stopping or pedestrian offense. (b) Tickets act as a regressive tax, and late-payment penalties make the fines even more regressive. (c) Tickets and the penalty that doubles the ticket amount creates a substantial burden for low-income residents and households already struggling to make ends meet. (d) From 2000 to 2021, drivers collectively owe nearly $1.3 billion in unpaid parking and traffic tickets in the District. (e) From 2016 to 2020, 62% of all traffic fines …