B 26-0753

MURIEL BOWSER
    MAYOR
July 9, 2026
Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
Enclosed for consideration and adoption by the Council of the District of Columbia are the
“Health and Human Service Programs and Benefits Eligibility and Delivery Data-Sharing
Clarifications Amendment Act of 2026,” the “Health and Human Service Programs and Benefits
Eligibility and Delivery Data-Sharing Clarifications Temporary Amendment Act of 2026,” the
“Health and Human Service Programs and Benefits Eligibility and Delivery Data-Sharing
Clarifications Emergency Amendment Act of 2026,” and the “Health and Human Service
Programs and Benefits Eligibility and Delivery Data-Sharing Clarifications Emergency
Declaration Resolution of 2026.”
If enacted, the legislation would clarify the authorization to share certain data within the
Department of Human Services (DHS) and between DHS and other District agencies providing
health or human services to facilitate the determination of eligibility for federal and District
health and human service programs and benefits, to enhance the coordination of such programs
and benefits, and for other purposes. Most immediately, it would allow DHS to share client
information between the DHS Family Services Administration and the DHS Economic Security
Administration, pursuant to the requirements and procedures of the Data-Sharing and
Information Coordination Amendment Act of 2010, to efficiently facilitate time limit exemption
determinations for the District’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients.
The District was unable to renew its SNAP Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD)
Waiver due to changes in federal law. This legislation will lessen the burden on SNAP ABAWD
customers who must now comply with new screening requirements.
I urge the Council to take prompt and favorable action on the enclosed legislation.
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                                                                   ~~Chairman Phil Mendelson
3at the request of the Mayor
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5A BILL
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9IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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13 To amend the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005 to clarify the authorization to share certain
14data within the Department of Human Services and between the Department of Human
15Services and other District agencies providing health or human services to facilitate the
16determination of eligibility for federal and District health and human service programs
17and benefits, to enhance the coordination of such programs and benefits, and for other
18purposes; and to amend the Data-Sharing and Information Coordination Amendment Act
19of 2010 to clarify the definition of the term "agency" and to clarify the intent of the data
20system authority.
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22BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
23 act may be cited as the "Health and Human Service Programs and Benefits Eligibility and
24 Delivery Data-Sharing Clarifications Amendment Act of 2026".
25Sec. 2. The Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005, effective October 22, 2005 (D.C.
26 Law 16-35; D.C. Official Code§ 4-751.01 et seq.), is amended as follows:
27(a) Section 9(a)(7) (D.C. Official Code§ 4-754. l l(a)(7)) is amended by striking the
28 phrase "consistent with the confidentiality requirements of District and federal law" and inserting
29 the phrase "consistent with the confidentiality requirements of District and federal law, subject to
30 the authorized uses and mandatory disclosures of such records and information for the purposes
31 of and in accordance with Title I of the Data-Sharing and Information Coordination Amendment
32 Act of 2010, effective December 4, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-273; D.C. Official Code§ 7-241 et
33 seq.)" in its place.
34(b) Section 12(12) (D.C. Official Code § 4-754.21(12)) is amended by striking the phrase
35 “consistent with the confidentiality requirements of District and federal law” and inserting the
36 phrase “consistent with the confidentiality requirements of District and federal law, subject to the
37 authorized uses and mandatory disclosures of such records and information for the purposes of
38 and in accordance with Title I of the Data-Sharing and Information Coordination Amendment
39 Act of 2010, effective December 4, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-273; D.C. Official Code § 7-241 et
40 seq.)” in its place.
41Sec. 3. The Data-Sharing and Information Coordination Amendment Act of 2010,
42 effective December 4, 2010 (D.C. Law 18-273; D.C. Official Code § 7-241 et seq. ), is amended
43 as follows:
44(a)     Section 101 (1) (D.C. Official Code § 7-241(1)) is amended by striking the phrase
45 “or instrumentality of the District of Columbia government.” and inserting the phrase “authority,
46 or instrumentality of the District of Columbia government, or any subdivision of such agency,
47 department, unit, authority, or instrumentality.” in its place.
48(b) The lead-in language of section 102(a) (D.C. Official Code § 7-242(a)) is amended by
49 striking the phrase “In accordance with section 103 and without” and inserting the word
50 “Without” in its place.
51Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.
52The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Chief Financial Officer as the fiscal
53 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,
54 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).
55Sec. 5. Effective date.
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56This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
57 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
58 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
59 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
60 Columbia Register.
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