District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender Service Employment Non-Discrimination Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7020 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7020 To provide for coverage of employees of the District of Columbia courts and the District of Columbia Public Defender Service under the District of Columbia Human Rights Act, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 12, 2026 Ms. Norton introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To provide for coverage of employees of the District of Columbia courts and the District of Columbia Public Defender Service under the District of Columbia Human Rights Act, and for other purposes. 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 Courts and Public Defender Service Employment Non-Discrimination Act''. SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF EMPLOYEES UNDER DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT. (a) Coverage.-- (1) Employees of district of columbia courts.--Section 11- 1726, District of Columbia Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(e) For purposes of the Human Rights Act of 1977 (sec. 2-1401.01 et seq., D.C. Official Code), a nonjudicial employee of the District of Columbia courts shall be considered to be an employee under such Act and the District of Columbia courts shall be considered to be an employer under such Act.''. (2) Employees of district of columbia public defender service.--Section 305 of the District of Columbia Court Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970 (sec. 2-1605, D.C. Official Code) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(e) For purposes of the Human Rights Act of 1977 (sec. 2-1401.01 et seq.,