PRESS RELEASE

Office of Councilmember Vincent B. Orange, Sr. (Ward - 5)

Councilmember Orange Leads Council Effort to Strengthen Residency Laws; Require All District Government Attorneys to Be Members of the District Bar and Accelerate Youth Opportunities to Participate As Election Poll Workers

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 5, 2002 –The Council today voted to strengthen the District of Columbia’s laws regarding the domicile of the individuals who accept appointments in the District Government as Executive and Excepted Service Employees.

The Council, by a vote of 8-4, approved the "Excepted and Executive Service Domicile Requirement Emergency Amendment Act of 2002" which requires that Excepted and Executive Service employees must be domiciled, rather than just residents in the District of Columbia. Council made their position clear that persons who work for the District of Columbia Government in the Executive and Excepted Service should be domiciled and have their principal place of residence in the District of Columbia. The Act establishes clear criteria for determining whether an employee is domiciled in the District. The following items are some of the proofs of domicile and principal place of residence located in the District during the period of employment:

1. all income must be subject to District withholding and income tax;
2. certification that the employee’s estate will be probated in the District; and
3. automobile, life and health insurance contracts based on the employee’s principal place of residence located in the District.

The legislation defines domicile to mean "physical presence in the District of Columbia, and an intent to abandon any and all former domiciles and remain in the District of Columbia during the duration of [their] employment." The legislation does not allow the Office of Personnel to grant waivers of the domicile requirements in the bill.

In addition, Councilmember Orange obtained unanimous approval of an emergency bill that requires all District Government attorneys at the level of DS-13 and above to obtain and file annual certificates of Good Standing as evidence of their familiarity with D.C. Law, and membership in the D.C. Bar. The "Government Attorney Certificate of Good Standing Filing Requirement Emergency Act" requires these attorneys to file annual certificates of Good Standing if they represent the District Government in court or provide legal advice to the Government on District Law.

Councilmember Orange also introduced emergency legislation, "The Youth Pollworker Act of 2002", which will facilitate the volunteer efforts of youth, ages 16 to 17 to work on election day as poll worker volunteers in the upcoming primaries and fall elections.