(a) The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs shall be the principal consumer protection agency of the District of Columbia government and shall carry out the purposes of this chapter.
(b) Repealed.
(c) The Director of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs shall exercise the powers set forth in section 28-3905 through the Office of Compliance, and shall appoint a Chief of the Office of Compliance from among active members of the unified District of Columbia Bar. The Chief of the Office of Compliance may carry out investigative, conciliatory, and other duties assigned by the Director.
(d) Repealed.
(e) The Mayor shall appoint one or more attorneys qualified to serve as administrative law judges or attorney examiners to conduct adjudicatory proceedings. Any administrative law judge or attorney examiner appointed pursuant to this subsection may hear cases pursuant to § 2-1801.03.
(f) Repealed.
(g) Repealed.
(h) Repealed.
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of District law, enforcement of this chapter by the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs is suspended until October 1, 2002. This subsection shall not prevent the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs from cooperating with, and making appropriate referrals to, another law enforcement agency.
CREDIT(S)
(July 22, 1976, D.C. Law 1-76, § 3, 23 DCR 1185; enacted, Sept. 6, 1980, D.C. Law 3-85, § 3(a), (d), 27 DCR 2900; Mar. 5, 1981, D.C. Law 3-159, § 2(a), 27 DCR 5147; Oct. 5, 1985, D.C. Law 6-42, § 422, 32 DCR 4450; Mar. 8, 1991, D.C. Law 8-234, § 2(c), 38 DCR 296; Mar. 8, 1991, D.C. Law 8-237, § 4, 38 DCR 314; Feb. 5, 1994, D.C. Law 10-68, § 27(a), (c), 40 DCR 6311; Sept. 26, 1995, D.C. Law 11-52, § 812, 42 DCR 3684; Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-255, § 27(v), 44 DCR 1271; Apr. 29, 1998, D.C. Law 12-86, § 1301(a), 45 DCR 1172; Mar. 26, 1999, D.C. Law 12-175, § 1403, 45 DCR 7193; Apr. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 12-264, § 27(b), 46 DCR 2118; Oct. 19, 2000, D.C. Law 13-172, § 1402(c), 47 DCR 6308.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 28-3902.
1973 Ed., T. 28, Appx., § 3.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 13-172 in subsec. (i) substituted 2002 for 2000 and added a new sentence at the end thereof providing cooperating with and making referrals to another law enforcement agency.
Temporary Amendments of Section
For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 503 of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Federal Law Conformity, Motor Vehicle Insurance, Regulatory Reform, and Consumer Law Temporary Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Law 12-154, September 18, 1998, law notification 45 DCR 6951).
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary amendment of section, see § 811 of the Omnibus Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 1995 (D.C. Act 11-124, July 27, 1995, 42 DCR 4160).
For temporary amendment of section, see § 503 of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Federal Law Conformity Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-339, May 4, 1998, 45 DCR 2947) and § 503 of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Federal Law Conformity, Motor Vehicle Insurance, Regulatory Reform, and Consumer Law Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-429, August 6, 1998, 45 DCR 5890).
For temporary amendment of section, see § 1003 of the Fiscal Year 1999 Budget Support Emergency Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-401, July 13, 1998, 45 DCR 4794) and § 1003 of the Fiscal Year 1999 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 1998 (D.C. Act 12-564, January 12, 1999, 46 DCR 669).
For temporary (90-day) amendment of section, see § 1003 of the Fiscal Year 1999 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-41, March 31, 1999, 46 DCR 3446).
For temporary (90-day) amendment of section, see § 1402(c) of the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2000 (D.C. Act 13-376, July 24, 2000, 47 DCR 6574).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1402(c) of the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2000 (D.C. Act 13-438, October 20, 2000, 47 DCR 8740).
Legislative History of Laws
For legislative history of D.C. Law 1-76, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 28-3901.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 3-85, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 28-3901.
Law 3-159, the “Office of Consumer Protection Administrative Law Judge Act of 1980,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 3-339, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on October 14, 1980 and October 28, 1980, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on November 10, 1980, it was assigned Act No. 3-286 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.
Law 6-42, the “Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Civil Infractions Act of 1985,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 6-187, which was referred to the Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 25, 1985, and July 9, 1985, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 16, 1985, it was assigned Act No. 6-60 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 8-234, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 28-3909.
Law 8-237, the “Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Civil Infractions Act of 1985 Technical and Clarifying Amendments Act of 1990,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 8-203, which was referred to the Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 4, 1990, and December 18, 1990, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on December 27, 1990, it was assigned Act No. 8-320 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 10-68, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 28-3901.
Law 11-52, the “Omnibus Budget Support Act of 1995,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 11-218, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on April 19, 1995, and June 6, 1995, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on July 13, 1995, it was assigned Act No. 11-94 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 11-52 became effective on September 26, 1995.
For legislative history of D.C. Law 11-255, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 28-3901.
Law 12-86, the “Omnibus Regulatory Reform Amendment Act of 1998,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 12-458, which was referred to the Committee on Public Works and the Environment and the Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 19, 1997, it was assigned Act No. 12-256 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 12-86 became effective on April 29, 1998.
Law 12-175, the “Fiscal Year 1999 Budget Support Act of 1998,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 12-618, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on May 5, 1998, and June 2, 1998, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on June 23, 1998, it was assigned Act No. 12-399 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 12-175 became effective on March 26, 1999.
Law 12-264, the “Technical Amendments Act of 1998,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 12-804, which was referred to the Committee of the Whole. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 10, 1998, and December 1, 1998, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on January 7, 1999, it was assigned Act No. 12-626 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 12-264 became effective on April 20, 1999.
For Law 13-172, see notes following § 28-3901.