FY 2020 Budget and Financial Plan

Approved FY 2020 Budget and Financial Plan. The approved budget is published by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer in multiple volumes. Volume 1 is the Executive Summary, which has detailed information on revenue, expenditures, and other components of the budget. Volumes 2, 3, and 4 are the Agency Budget Chapters. Each agency chapter includes the operating budget, full-time equivalents, and other information related to that fiscal year. Volume 5 is the Capital Improvements Plan for FY 2020 - FY 2025. Volume 6 includes all the Operating Appendices for the agency budget chapters.

FY 2020 Budget Legislation:

1. Fiscal Year 2020 Local Budget Act of 2019. The final version of the District’s local appropriations bill, approved by the Council on May 28, 2019 and signed by the Mayor on July 15, 2019, sets the maximum local dollars appropriation for each agency and provides the legal authority necessary to spend those funds.

   • Supplement to the committee report for Bill 23-208 (February 18, 2020). The supplemental report explains the changes made at second reading of the bill.

   • Enrolled version of Bill 23-208 (May 28, 2019). The bill, as approved on second reading, with the approved amendments incorporated.

   • Approved amendments to the ANS (May 28, 2019). The amendments proposed on the dais at second reading and accepted.

   • Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute for Bill 23-208 (May 28, 2019). The Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (ANS) moved by Chairman Mendelson at second reading; view supporting spreadsheets for the ANS.

   • Notice of intent to move an Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute for Bill 23-208 (May 24, 2019). Chairman Mendelson’s notice, which includes details of the changes to the operating budget, the capital budget, and the narrative.

   • Committee report for Bill 23-208 (May 14, 2019). The report on the bill, as moved at the Committee of the Whole.

   • Draft Fiscal Year 2020 Local Budget Act of 2019 documents circulated for markup and first reading (May 14, 2019): draft committee report, draft committee print, operating budget tables, capital budget tables, and revenue tables.

   • Official legislative history.

2. Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Act of 2019. The final version of the Budget Support Act (BSA), as approved by the Council on June 18, 2019 and signed by the Mayor on July 22, 2019. The BSA includes statutory changes that are necessary to implement the budget, such as the legal authority for specific revenue changes.

   • Enrolled version of Bill 23-209. (June 18, 2019) The bill, as approved on second reading, with the approved amendments incorporated.

   • Fiscal Impact Statement for Bill 23-209. (June 18, 2019) The fiscal impact statement for Bill 23-209, issued by the Chief Financial Officer.

   • Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute for Bill 23-209. (June 18, 2019) The Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute (ANS), moved by Chairman Mendelson at second reading.

   • Notice of intent to move an Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute for Bill 23-209. (June 17, 2019) Chairman Mendelson’s notice, which includes details of the changes to the legislation.

   • Committee Report for Bill 23-209 (May 14, 2019). The report on the bill, as moved by the Committee of the Whole.

   • Committee Print for Bill 23-209 (May 14, 2019). The committee print, as approved by the Committee of the Whole at markup.

   • Official legislative history.

Once the Mayor’s proposed budget and financial plan is submitted to the Council, each Council committee reviews the request for the agencies under their purview and holds public hearings. When the hearing period concludes, each committee chair prepares a budget report of recommendations that is then marked up and approved by the full committee. The committee report includes recommendations for funding and personnel levels for each agency, policy proposals, legislation necessary to implement the recommendations, and any other budget-related analysis that the committee deems appropriate.

After all committees approve their reports, the Council’s Office of the Budget Director, under the Chairman’s direction, incorporates the committees’ recommendations and additional Council-wide recommendations into a single unified budget, finalized in the key documents, above. Unofficial versions of the committee reports are provided below.

1. Committee on Business and Economic Development

   • Committee report

   • Budget oversight questions

2. Committee on Education

   • Committee report

   • Budget oversight questions

3. Committee on Facilities and Procurement

   • Committee report

   • Budget oversight questions

4. Committee on Finance and Revenue

   • Committee report

   • Budget oversight questions

5. Committee on Government Operations

   • Committee report

   • Budget oversight questions

6. Committee on Health

   • Committee report, draft circulated 5/2/19

   • Budget oversight questions

7. Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization

   • Committee report

   • Budget oversight questions

8. Committee on Human Services

   • Committee report

   • Budget oversight questions

9. Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety

   • Committee report

   • Budget oversight questions

10. Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

    • Committee report

    • Budget oversight questions

11. Committee on Recreation and Youth Affairs

    • Committee report, draft circulated 5/1/19

    • Budget oversight questions

12. Committee on Transportation and the Environment

    • Committee report

    • Budget oversight questions

13. Committee of the Whole

    • Committee report, draft circulated 5/1/19

    • Budget oversight questions

Fiscal Year 2019 Revised Local Budget Emergency Act of 2019 (June 18, 2019). This emergency measure revises the current fiscal year’s local budget act. Typically it adjusts the appropriation levels for specified funding types and the top-line budget appropriation for specified clusters and agencies. A revision may be necessary to provide budget authority for additional revenue and to address budget shortfalls or expenditure changes in specific agencies. (Emergency Declaration)

Fiscal Year 2020 Federal Portion Budget Request Act of 2019 (May 28, 2019). The District’s budget includes a small number of federal payments that are appropriated directly by Congress to the District for a specific purpose. Those federal funds are still subject to the federal appropriations process. Each year, as part of the budget process, the Mayor transmits to the Council her proposal for federal payments. As part of the Council budget process, the Council approves this Federal Portion Budget Request Act. Following Council approval, the act is submitted by the Mayor to the President for inclusion in a federal appropriations act approved by Congress.

Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2019 (June 25, 2019). Each permanent bill passed by the Council must complete a passive congressional review period before it becomes effective. In the case of the Budget Support Act, many of its provisions must be in place by the start of the fiscal year, October 1. Because congressional review is dependent on the congressional calendar, the Council must pass a Budget Support Emergency Act in order to ensure its changes are in place if a delay occurs in the congressional review. Emergency acts do not require hearings and are passed with a single vote. Emergency legislation expires after 90 days. Click here for the legislative history.

Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Clarification Amendment Act of 2019 (December 17, 2019). Following the passage of the Budget Support Act, it may be necessary to clarify or amend provisions in the Act in order to effectuate their intent. The Budget Support Clarification Amendment Act contains clarifying provisions, technical amendments, or other minor amendments that must go into effect immediately to clarify the law and implement the budget and financial plan as approved.

Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Support Clarification Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2019 (December 17, 2019). As with the BSA emergency, the clarification emergency allows the provisions to be in place immediately, while the permanent goes through the passive congressional review process.

Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Submission Requirements Resolution of 2018 (November 13, 2018). Each year, the Council passes a budget submission requirements resolution to establishes the date by which the Mayor must submit the proposed budget for the next fiscal year; the resolution also states what information and documentation must be submitted with the proposed budget.

Fiscal Year 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (January 31, 2020). The CAFR is the District’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for state and local governments as promulgated by the Government Accounting Standards Board. Some of the principal users of the CAFR are credit or bond rating agencies, institutions that buy and sell bonds, and those charged with managing and governing the state or local government.