Bill > HR5698

This bill, known as the "District of Columbia Clemency Home Rule Act", proposes to transfer the authority for granting clemency for crimes committed under District of Columbia laws from the federal government to the local District of Columbia government. Specifically, the bill allows the District of Columbia to enact its own laws determining who can grant clemency, under what terms and conditions. The bill defines clemency broadly as including pardons, reprieves, commutations of sentences, and remission of fines or financial penalties. Importantly, the legislation does not disrupt existing clemency powers held by the President or the Mayor of Washington, D.C., and it applies to crimes committed before, on, or after the bill's enactment. This bill represents a step toward greater local autonomy for the District of Columbia by allowing its local government to establish its own processes and guidelines for clemency, which is traditionally a power reserved for executive authorities.

Government Affairs

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5698/all-info