[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4419 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        H.R.4419

                     One Hundred Fourteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

           Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
           the fourth day of January, two thousand and sixteen


                                 An Act


 
   To update the financial disclosure requirements for judges of the 
   District of Columbia courts and to make other improvements to the 
                      District of Columbia courts.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``District of Columbia Judicial 
Financial Transparency Act''.
SEC. 2. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR JUDGES OF DISTRICT OF 
COLUMBIA COURTS.
    (a) Requirements Described.--Section 11-1530, D.C. Official Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 11-1530. Financial statements
    ``(a) Pursuant to such rules as the Commission shall promulgate, 
each judge of the District of Columbia courts shall, within 1 year 
following the date of enactment of the District of Columbia Court 
Reorganization Act of 1970 and at least annually thereafter, file with 
the Commission a report containing the following information:
        ``(1)(A) The source, type and amount of the judge's income 
    which exceeds $200 (other than income from the United States 
    government and income referred to in subparagraph (C)) for the 
    period covered by the report.
        ``(B) The source and type of the judge's spouse's income which 
    exceeds $1,000 (other than income from the United States government 
    and income referred to in subparagraph (C)) for the period covered 
    by the report.
        ``(C) The source and type of income which consists of 
    dividends, rents, interest, and capital gains received by the judge 
    and the judge's spouse during such period which exceeds $200 in 
    amount or value, and an indication of which of the following 
    categories the amount or value of such item of income is within--
            ``(i) not more than $1,000;
            ``(ii) greater than 1,000 but not more than $2,500;
            ``(iii) greater than $2,500 but not more than $5,000;
            ``(iv) greater than $5,000 but not more than $15,000;
            ``(v) greater than $15,000 but not more than $50,000;
            ``(vi) greater than $50,000 but not more than $100,000;
            ``(vii) greater than $100,000 but not more than $1,000,000;
            ``(viii) greater than $1,000,000 but not more than 
        $5,000,000; or
            ``(ix) greater than $5,000,000.
        ``(2) The name and address of each private foundation or 
    eleemosynary institution, and of each business or professional 
    corporation, firm, or enterprise in which the judge was an officer, 
    director, proprietor, or partner during such period.
        ``(3) The identity and category of value (as set forth in 
    subsection (b)) of each liability of $10,000 or more owed by the 
    judge or by the judge and the judge's spouse jointly at any time 
    during such period.
        ``(4) The source and value of all gifts in the aggregate amount 
    or value of $250 or more from any single source received by the 
    judge during such period, except gifts from the judge's spouse or 
    any of the judge's children or parents.
        ``(5) The identity of each trust in which the judge held a 
    beneficial interest having a value of $10,000 or more at any time 
    during such period, and in the case of any trust in which the judge 
    held any beneficial interest during such period, the identity, if 
    known, of each interest in real or personal property in which the 
    trust held a beneficial interest having a value of $10,000 or more 
    at any time during such period. If the judge cannot obtain the 
    identity of the trust interest, the judge shall request the trustee 
    to report that information to the Commission.
        ``(6) The identity and category of value (as set forth in 
    subsection (b)) of each interest in real or personal property 
    having a value of $10,000 or more which the judge owned at any time 
    during such period.
        ``(7) The amount or value and source of each honorarium of $250 
    or more received by the judge and the judge's spouse during such 
    period.
        ``(8) The source and amount of all money, other than that 
    received from the United States government, received in the form of 
    an expense account or as reimbursement for expenditures from any 
    source aggregating more than $250 during such period.
        ``(9) The source and amount of all waivers or partial waivers 
    of fees or charges accepted by the judge on behalf of the judge or 
    the judge's spouse, domestic partner, or guest during such period.
    ``(b) For purposes of paragraphs (3) and (6) of subsection (a), the 
categories of value set forth in this subsection are--
        ``(1) not more than $15,000;
        ``(2) greater than $15,000 but not more than $50,000;
        ``(3) greater than $50,000 but not more than $100,000;
        ``(4) greater than $100,000 but not more than $250,000;
        ``(5) greater than $250,000 but not more than $500,000;
        ``(6) greater than $500,000 but not more than $1,000,000;
        ``(7) greater than $1,000,000 but not more than $5,000,000;
        ``(8) greater than $5,000,000 but not more than $25,000,000;
        ``(9) greater than $25,000,000 but not more than $50,000,000; 
    and
        ``(10) greater than $50,000,000.
    ``(c)(1) Reports filed pursuant to this section shall, upon written 
request, and notice to the reporting judge for purposes of making an 
application to the Commission for a redaction pursuant to paragraph 
(2), be made available for public inspection and copying within a 
reasonable time after filing and during the period they are kept by the 
Commission (in accordance with rules promulgated by the Commission), 
and shall be kept by the Commission for not less than 3 years.
    ``(2) This section does not require the public availability of 
reports filed by a judge if upon application by the reporting judge, a 
finding is made by the Commission that revealing personal and sensitive 
information could endanger that judge or a family member of that judge, 
except that a report may be redacted pursuant to this paragraph only--
        ``(A) to the extent necessary to protect the individual who 
    filed the report or a family member of that individual; and
        ``(B) for as long as the danger to such individual exists.
    ``(d) The intentional failure by a judge of a District of Columbia 
court to file a report required by this section, or the filing of a 
fraudulent report, shall constitute willful misconduct in office and 
shall be grounds for removal from office under section 11-
1526(a)(2).''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to reports filed under section 11-1530, D.C. 
Official Code, that cover periods beginning during or after 2016.
SEC. 3. AUTHORITY OF PROBATE DIVISION TO USE MAGISTRATE JUDGES.
    (a) In General.--Section 11-1732(j)(5), District of Columbia 
Official Code, is amended by striking ``Family Divisions'' and 
inserting ``Probate Divisions, and the Family Court,''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--Section 11-1732(j)(4)(A), 
District of Columbia Official Code, is amended by striking ``Family 
Division'' and inserting ``Family Court''.
SEC. 4. AUTHORITY OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURTS TO ACCEPT CERTAIN 
TYPES OF PAYMENTS.
    (a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 17 of title 11, District 
of Columbia Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 11-1748. Authority of courts to accept certain types of payments
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section, the term `electronic funds 
transfer'--
        ``(1) means a transfer of funds, other than a transaction by 
    check, draft, or similar paper instrument, that is initiated 
    through an electronic terminal, telephone, or computer or magnetic 
    tape for the purpose of ordering, instructing, or authorizing a 
    financial institution to debit or credit an account; and
        ``(2) includes point of sale transfers, automated teller 
    machine transfers, direct deposit or withdrawal of funds, transfers 
    initiated by telephone, and transfers resulting from debit card 
    transactions.
    ``(b) Authority To Accept Credit Card Payments and Electronic Funds 
Transfers.--
        ``(1) In general.--The District of Columbia courts may accept 
    payment of fines, fees, escrow payments, restitution, bonds, and 
    other payments to the courts by credit card or electronic funds 
    transfer.
        ``(2) Use of vendors and third party providers.--The Executive 
    officer--
            ``(A) may contract with a bank or credit card vendor, or 
        other third party provider, for purposes of accepting payments 
        by credit card or electronic funds transfer; and
            ``(B) shall make every effort to find the lowest cost 
        vendor for purposes of accepting such payments.
        ``(3) Responsibility for paying fees.--Under any contract 
    entered into under paragraph (2), the person making the payment 
    shall be responsible for covering any fee or charge associated or 
    imposed with respect to the method of payment.
        ``(4) Completion of payment.--If a person elects to make a 
    payment to the District of Columbia courts by a method authorized 
    under paragraph (1), the payment shall not be deemed to be made 
    until the courts receive the funds.
    ``(c) Authority To Accept Checks.--
        ``(1) In general.--The District of Columbia courts may accept 
    payment of fines, fees, escrow payments, restitution, bonds, and 
    other payments to the courts by check.
        ``(2) Use of check guarantee vendor.--The Executive Officer--
            ``(A) may contract with a check guarantee vendor for 
        purposes of accepting payments by check; and
            ``(B) shall make every effort to find the lowest cost 
        vendor for purposes of accepting such payments.
        ``(3) Responsibility for paying fees.--Under any contract 
    entered into under paragraph (2), the person making the payment by 
    check shall be responsible for covering any fee or charge 
    associated or imposed with respect to the method of payment.
    ``(d) Liability for Non-Payment.--If a check or other method of 
payment, including payment by credit card, debit card, or charge card, 
so received is not duly paid, or is paid and subsequently charged back 
to the District of Columbia courts, the person by whom such check or 
other method of payment has been tendered shall remain liable for the 
payment, to the same extent as if such check or other method of payment 
had not been tendered.''.
    (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
subchapter III of chapter 17 of title 11, District of Columbia Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:

``11-1748. Authority of courts to accept certain types of payments.''.
SEC. 5. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM AMOUNT IN CONTROVERSY PERMITTED FOR CASES 
UNDER JURISDICTION OF SMALL CLAIMS AND CONCILIATION BRANCH OF SUPERIOR 
COURT.
    (a) In General.--Section 11-1321, District of Columbia Official 
Code, is amended by striking ``$5,000'' and inserting ``$10,000''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to any case filed in the Superior Court of the District of 
Columbia on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO APPROVE COMPENSATION OF ATTORNEYS IN EXCESS OF 
MAXIMUM AMOUNT.
    (a) In General.--
        (1) Criminal defense appointments.--Section 11-2604(c), 
    District of Columbia Official Code, is amended by striking the last 
    sentence and inserting the following: ``Each chief judge may 
    delegate such approval authority to an active or senior judge in 
    the court in which the chief judge sits.''.
        (2) Child abuse and neglect appointments.--Section 16-
    2326.01(f), District of Columbia Official Code, is amended--
            (A) by striking ``(f)(1)'' and inserting ``(f)'';
            (B) by striking paragraph (2); and
            (C) by adding at the end the following: ``Each chief judge 
        may delegate such approval authority to an active or senior 
        judge in the court in which the chief judge sits.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to any case or proceeding initiated on or after the 
date of enactment of this Act.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.