(a) Pursuant to § 1-204.04(b), there is hereby established, in the Executive Branch of the government of the District of Columbia, an Office of Human Rights under the supervision of a Director, who shall carry out the functions and authorities assigned to the Office. The Office of Human Rights (“Office”) is established as a separate agency as of October 1, 1999.

(b) The Director shall have full authority over the Office and all functions and personnel assigned thereto, including the power to redelegate to other employees and officials of the Office such powers and authority as in the judgment of the Director are warranted in the interests of efficiency and sound administration.

(c)(1) The Director shall have a demonstrated professional background in human rights law.

(2)(A) For the purposes of this subsection, the term “human rights law” means District or federal laws related to discrimination by reason of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, source of income, status as a victim of an intrafamily offense, and place of residence or business.

(B) For the purposes of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the terms “age”, “marital status”, “personal appearance”, “sexual orientation”, “gender identity or expression”, “familial status”, “family responsibilities”, “matriculation”, “political affiliation”, “genetic information”, “disability”, “source of income”, and “intrafamily offense” shall have the same meanings as provided in § 2-1401.02.

(Oct. 20, 1999, D.C. Law 13-38, § 202, 46 DCR 6373; May 2, 2015, D.C. Law 20-266, § 2, 62 DCR 1540.)

This section is referenced in § 2-1401.02 and § 2-1431.01.

The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-266 added (c).

For temporary (90-day) addition of subchapter IV, consisting of §§ 1-2571 to 1-2576 1981 Ed., see §§ 202 to 207 of the Service Improvement and Fiscal Year 2000 Budget Support Emergency Act of 1999 (D.C. Act 13-110, July 28, 1999, 46 DCR 6320).

Section 201 of D.C. Law 13-38 provided: “This subtitle may be cited as the ‘Office of Human Rights Establishment Act of 1999’.”