(f) Members of the Charter Referendum Board other than the President of the Board of Commissioners shall hold no other office or employment in the District of Columbia government. Not more than three members shall be registered members of the same political party. (g) Each member of the Charter Referendum Board except the President of the Board of Commissioners shall be paid compensation at the rate of $250 a month, but not to exceed a total of $1,500. The provisions of section 1408, notwithstanding the fact that such section does not otherwise take effect unless the charter is accepted under this title, shall apply with respect to members of the Charter Referendum Board in the same manner as it applies with respect to members of the agencies specified therein. (h) The Charter Referendum Board, and persons authorized by it, may administer such oaths as it considers appropriate to require in the performance of its functions. (i) The Charter Referendum Board may employ necessary personnel and may fix their compensation without regard to the Classification Act of 1923, as amended. (j) The records and accounts of the Charter Referendum Board shall, subject to such limitations prescribed by such Board as are reasonably necessary to the exercise of its functions, be open to public inspection during regular business hours. Such requirements shall not extend to records and accounts the disclosure of which would tend to defeat the lawful purpose which they are intended to accomplish. (k) The Charter Referendum Board shall cease to exist at the close of the day on which the charter is accepted (as determined pursuant to section 1906) or at the close of December 31, 1949, whichever is earlier. (1) If the charter is accepted under this title, the function of winding up the affairs of the Charter Referendum Board shall be exercised, after such Board ceases to exist, by the Board of Elections created by section 1201. If the charter is not accepted under this title, such function shall be exercised, after such Board ceases to exist, by the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia. REGISTRATION SEC. 1903. (a) The Charter Referendum Board shall conduct within the District of Columbia a registration of the qualified electors of such District, commencing as soon as practicable after the enactment of this Act (but in no event later than August 1, 1949) and continuing until October 1, 1949. (b) Prior to the commencement of such registration, the Charter Referendum Board shall publish, in daily newspapers of general circulation published in the District of Columbia, a list of the registration places and the dates and hours of registration. (c) No qualified elector may vote in the charter referendum unless he is registered in the District of Columbia. (d) No person shall be registered unless (1) he is a qualified elector; and (2) he executes a registration affidavit, completed in his own handwriting (unless prevented by physical disability) showing (A) that he meets each of the requirements specified in section 1901 (b) for a qualified elector; and (B) that he has no intention of doing any act which would prevent him from being a qualified elector on November 15, 1949. (e) In any case where a person is not permitted to register, such person may appeal to the Charter Referendum Board, but not later than October 3, 1949. The Board shall decide within seven days after the appeal is perfected whether the challenged elector is entitled to register. If the appeal is denied, the appellant may, within three days after such denial, appeal to the Municipal Court for the District of Columbia. The court shall decide the issue not later than November 8, 1949. If the appeal is upheld by either the Board or the court, the challenged elector shall be allowed to register immediately. CHARTER REFERENDUM BALLOT; NOTICE OF VOTING SEC. 1904. (a) The charter referendum ballot shall contain the following, with the blank space appropriately filled: "The District of Columbia Charter Act, enacted 1949, proposes to establish a new charter for the District of Columbia, but provides that the charter shall take effect only if it is accepted by the registered qualified electors of the District in this referendum. "By marking a cross (X) in one of the squares provided below, show whether you are for or against the charter. For the charter (b) Voting may be by paper ballot or by voting machine. The Board of Elections may make such changes in the second paragraph of the charter referendum ballot as it determines to be necessary to permit the use of voting machines if such machines are used. (c) Not later than November 1, 1949, the Charter Referendum Board shall mail to each person registered (1) a sample of the charter referendum ballot, and (2) information showing the polling place of such person and the date and hours of voting. (d) Not later than November 8, 1949, the Charter Referendum Board shall publish, in daily newspapers of general circulation published in the District of Columbia, a list of the polling places and the date and hours of voting. METHOD OF VOTING SEC. 1905. The applicable provisions of section 1211, with respect to method of voting, notwithstanding the fact that such section does not otherwise take effect unless the charter is accepted under this title shall govern the conduct of voting in the charter referendum, except that for such purpose (1) references therein to the Board of Elections shall be considered to apply to the Charter Referendum Board; and (2) the Charter Referendum Board shall appoint suitable watchers at each polling place. ACCEPTANCE OR NONACCEPTANCE OF CHARTER SEC. 1906. (a) If a majority of the registered qualified electors voting in the charter referendum vote for the charter, the charter shall be considered accepted as of the time the Charter Referendum Board certifies the result of the charter referendum to the President of the United States, as provided in subsection (b). (b) The Charter Referendum Board shall, within a reasonable time, but in no event later than December 21, 1949, certify the result of the charter referendum to the President of the United States and to the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives. INTERFERENCE WITH REGISTRATION OR VOTING SEC. 1907. (a) No one shall interfere with the registration or voting of another person except as it may be reasonably necessary in the performance of a duty imposed by law. No person performing such a duty shall interfere with the registration or voting of another person because of his race, color, sex, or religious belief, or his want of property or income. (b) No registered voter shall be required to perform a military duty on the day of the charter referendum which would prevent him from voting, except in time of war or public danger or unless he is away from the District of Columbia in military service. No registered voter may be arrested while voting or going to vote except for a breach of the peace then committed or for treason or felony. VIOLATIONS SEC. 1908. Whoever willfully violates any provision of this title, or of any regulation prescribed and published by the Charter Referendum Board under authority of this title, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both. TITLE XX-FEDERAL CONTRIBUTION AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATION SEC. 2001. (a) In recognition of the obligation of the Federal Government to share equitably in the expense of maintaining the District of Columbia, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated (in lieu of the authorization contained in article VI of the District of Columbia Revenue Act of 1947), for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1952, and for each fiscal year thereafter, as the annual payment by the United States toward defraying the expenses of the government of the District of Columbia, an amount equal to 20 cents for each dollar of revenue which it is estimated will be received by the District (from all sources except the United States) during the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which payment is to be made. Such amount shall be decreased or increased, as the case may be, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1953, and for each fiscal year thereafter, by 20 cents for each dollar by which the estimated revenue for the fiscal year ending one year before the beginning of the fiscal year for which payment is to be made exceeded or was less than the actual revenue received during such fiscal year. (b) Out of any amount appropriated under the authorization contained in subsection (a) of this section, the sum of $1,000,000 shall be credited to the water fund of the District of Columbia, established by law (D. C. Code, 1940 edition, title 43, ch. 15), and the remainder shall be credited to the general fund of the District of Columbia. (c) If the charter is accepted pursuant to title XIX (1) the Director of the Bureau of the Budget shall, after June 30 and on or before December 31 of each year, beginning with the calendar year 1950, certify to the District Manager the amount authorized by subsection (a) of this section to be appropriated for the next fiscal year; (2) any amount appropriated under such authorization shall (on or before July 31 of the fiscal year for which the payment is made) be paid by the Secretary of the Treasury to the Director of the Department of Finance; and (3) in any fiscal year in which the expenses of the District government are less than the amount of revenue received by the District (from all sources, including the United States), any amount appropriated shall, to the extent of any such surplus, be set aside by the Director of the Department of Finance and shall be used exclusively for the construction, reconstruction, repair, and improvement of public schools in the District of Columbia. (S. 1527 an act to provide for home rule and reorganization in the District of Columbia was introduced June 1, 1949, by Senator Estes Kefauver and is a companion bill to H. R. 4981.) COMPARISON OF SENATE AND HOUSE BILLS TO PROVIDE FOR HOME RULE AND REORGANIZATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 3. District Council.. 3. Creates a District Council with 9 elected members 4. Qualifications for Council- 4. Must be qualified elector, resident and domiciled men. 5. Compensation of Council men. 6. Functions of Council. in District, holding no other elective public office, 1. Creates Joint District of Columbia Com- 2. Provides for a nonvoting Delegate in Con- 3. Creates a District Council with 12 elected 4. Same as S. 1527. 5. $5,000 a year. Chairman to receive $7,500 plus 5. $3,000 a year. 6. Acquires ordinance-making powers of Board of 7. Organization and procedure 7. Election of Chairman for 2-year term; appoint of Council. ment and duties of secretary; first meeting called 1. Same as H. R. 28. 2. Same as H. R. 28, except that his term of 6. Same as S. 1527. 6. Same as S. 1527. 7. Same as S. 1527 except that presiding officer 7. Same as H. R. 28. COMPARISON OF SENATE AND HOUSE BILLS TO PROVIDE FOR HOME RULE AND REORGANIZATION IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-Con. Subject H. R. 4981 (Klein) 8. Legislative veto procedure.. 8. Legislative proposals of Council to be deposited with Congress, referred to District of Columbia 10. Council authorized to provide for and adopt an 10. Prescribes procedure for preparation and 10. Same as H. R. 28. |