§ 10–503.25. Suspension of prohibitions against use — Traffic regulations by Capitol Police Board.

(a) The Capitol Police Board, consisting of the Sergeant at Arms of the United States Senate, the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Representatives, and the Architect of the Capitol, shall have exclusive charge and control of the regulation and movement of all vehicular and other traffic, including the parking and impounding of vehicles and limiting the speed thereof, within the United States Capitol Grounds; and said Board is hereby authorized and empowered to make and enforce all necessary regulations therefor and to prescribe penalties for violation of such regulations, such penalties not to exceed a fine of $300 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section those provisions of Chapters 14 and 22 of Title 50, for the violation of which specific penalties are provided in said Chapters, shall be applicable to the United States Capitol Grounds. Except as provided in Chapter 23 of Title 50, prosecutions for violation of such regulations shall be in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, upon information by the Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia or any of his assistants.

(b) Regulations authorized to be promulgated under this section shall be promulgated by the Capitol Police Board and such regulations may be amended from time to time by the Capitol Police Board whenever it shall deem it necessary; provided, that until such regulations are promulgated and become effective, the traffic regulations of the District of Columbia shall be applicable to the United States Capitol Grounds.

(c) All regulations promulgated under the authority of this section shall, when adopted by the Capitol Police Board, be printed in 1 or more of the daily newspapers published in the District of Columbia, and shall not become effective until the expiration of 10 days after the date of such publication, except that whenever the Capitol Police Board deems it advisable to make effective immediately any regulation relating to parking, diverting of vehicular traffic, or the closing of streets to such traffic, the regulation shall be effective immediately upon placing at the point where it is to be in force conspicuous signs containing a notice of the regulation. Any expenses incurred under this subsection shall be payable from the appropriation “Uniforms and Equipment, Capitol Police.”

(d) It shall be the duty of the Mayor of the District of Columbia, or any officer or employee of the government of the District of Columbia designated by said Mayor, upon request of the Capitol Police Board, to cooperate with the Board in the preparation of the regulations authorized to be promulgated under this section, and any future amendments thereof.

(July 31, 1946, 60 Stat. 720, ch. 707, § 14; July 11, 1947, 61 Stat. 308, ch. 221, §§ 1, 2; July 8, 1963, 77 Stat. 77, Pub. L. 88-60, § 1; July 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 570, Pub. L. 91-358, title I, § 155(a); Dec. 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 829, Pub. L. 93-198, title VII, § 739(g)(6); May 15, 1993, D.C. Law 9-272, § 201, 40 DCR 796.)

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 9-127.

1973 Ed., § 9-131.

Section References

This section is referenced in § 10-503.19, § 50-2302.01, and § 50-2303.01.

Cross References

Operation of vehicle in the District, application of law, see §§ 50-2302.01, 50-2303.01.

Change in Government

This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act ( D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.