,,ii #aadth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ddai ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #bf1 #bjaf,received ,,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 courts4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,district of ,columbia ,judicial ,financial ,transparency ,act4 #b4 ,financial disclosure requirements for judges of ,district of ,columbia courts 7a7 ,requirements described ,section #aa-aecj1 ,d4,c4 ,official ,code1 is amended to read as follows3 #aa-aecj4 ,financial statements 7a7 ,pursuant to such rules as the ,commission shall promulgate1 each judge of the ,district of ,columbia courts shall1 within #a year following the date of enactment of the ,district of ,columbia ,court ,reorganization ,act of #aigj and at least annually thereafter1 file with the ,commission a report containing the following information3 7#a7 7,a7 ,the source1 type and amount of the judge's income which exceeds #bjj 7other than income from the ,united ,states government and income referred to in subparagraph 7,c77 for the period covered by the report4 7,b7 ,the source and type of the judge's spouse's income which exceeds #a1jjj 7other than income from the ,united ,states government and income referred to in subparagraph 7,c77 for the period covered by the report4 7,c7 ,the source and type of income which consists of dividends1 rents1 interest1 and capital gains received by the judge and the judge's spouse during such period which exceeds #bjj in amount or value1 and an indication of which of the following categories the amount or value of such item of income is within-- 7i7 not more than #a1jjj2 7ii7 greater than #a1jjj but not more than #b1ejj2 7iii7 greater than #b1ejj but not more than #e1jjj2 7iv7 greater than #e1jjj but not more than #ae1jjj2 7v7 greater than #ae1jjj but not more than #ej1jjj2 7vi7 greater than #ej1jjj but not more than #ajj1jjj2 7vii7 greater than #ajj1jjj but not more than #a1jjj1jjj2 7viii7 greater than #a1jjj1jjj but not more than #e1jjj1jjj2 or 7ix7 greater than #e1jjj1jjj4 7#b7 ,the name and address of each private foundation or eleemosynary institution1 and of each business or professional corporation1 firm1 or enterprise in which the judge was an officer1 director1 proprietor1 or partner during such period4 7#c7 ,the identity and category of value 7as set forth in subsection 7b77 of each liability of #aj1jjj or more owed by the judge or by the judge and the judge's spouse jointly at any time during such period4 7#d7 ,the source and value of all gifts in the aggregate amount or value of #bej or more from any single source received by the judge during such period1 except gifts from the judge's spouse or any of the judge's children or parents4 7#e7 ,the identity of each trust in which the judge held a beneficial interest having a value of #aj1jjj or more at any time during such period1 and in the case of any trust in which the judge held any beneficial interest during such period1 the identity1 if known1 of each interest in real or personal property in which the trust held a beneficial interest having a value of #aj1jjj or more at any time during such period4 ,if the judge cannot obtain the identity of the trust interest1 the judge shall request the trustee to report that information to the ,commission4 7#f7 ,the identity and category of value 7as set forth in subsection 7b77 of each interest in real or personal property having a value of #aj1jjj or more which the judge owned at any time during such period4 7#g7 ,the amount or value and source of each honorarium of #bej or more received by the judge and the judge's spouse during such period4 7#h7 ,the source and amount of all money1 other than that received from the ,united ,states government1 received in the form of an expense account or as reimbursement for expenditures from any source aggregating more than #bej during such period4 7#i7 ,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 spouse1 domestic partner1 or guest during such period4 7b7 ,for purposes of paragraphs 7#c7 and 7#f7 of subsection 7a71 the categories of value set forth in this subsection are-- 7#a7 not more than #ae1jjj2 7#b7 greater than #ae1jjj but not more than #ej1jjj2 7#c7 greater than #ej1jjj but not more than #ajj1jjj2 7#d7 greater than #ajj1jjj but not more than #bej1jjj2 7#e7 greater than #bej1jjj but not more than #ejj1jjj2 7#f7 greater than #ejj1jjj but not more than #a1jjj1jjj2 7#g7 greater than #a1jjj1jjj but not more than #e1jjj1jjj2 7#h7 greater than #e1jjj1jjj but not more than #be1jjj1jjj2 7#i7 greater than #be1jjj1jjj but not more than #ej1jjj1jjj2 and 7#aj7 greater than #ej1jjj1jjj4 7c7 7#a7 ,reports filed pursuant to this section shall1 upon written request1 and notice to the reporting judge for purposes of making an application to the ,commission for a redaction pursuant to paragraph 7#b71 be made available for public inspection and copying within a reasonable time after filing and during the period they are kept by the ,commission 7in accordance with rules promulgated by the ,commission71 and shall be kept by the ,commission for not less than #c years4 7#b7 ,this section does not require the public availability of reports filed by a judge if upon application by the reporting judge1 a finding is made by the ,commission that revealing personal and sensitive information could endanger that judge or a family member of that judge1 except that a report may be redacted pursuant to this paragraph only-- 7,a7 to the extent necessary to protect the individual who filed the report or a family member of that individual2 and 7,b7 for as long as the danger to such individual exists4 7d7 ,the intentional failure by a judge of a ,district of ,columbia court to file a report required by this section1 or the filing of a fraudulent report1 shall constitute willful misconduct in office and shall be grounds for removal from office under section #aa-aebf7;a77#b74 4 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendment made by subsection 7a7 shall apply with respect to reports filed under section #aa-aecj1 ,d4,c4 ,official ,code1 that cover periods beginning during or after #bjaf4 #c4 ,authority of ,probate ,division to use magistrate judges 7a7 ,in general ,section #aa-agcb7;j77#e71 ,district of ,columbia ,official ,code1 is amended by striking ,family ,divisions and inserting ,probate ,divisions1 and the ,family ,court14 7b7 ,technical and conforming amendment ,section #aa-agcb7;j77#d77;,a71 ,district of ,columbia ,official ,code1 is amended by striking ,family ,division and inserting ,family ,court4 #d4 ,authority of ,district of ,columbia courts to accept certain types of payments 7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ag of title #aa1 ,district of ,columbia ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #aa-agdh4 ,authority of courts to accept certain types of payments 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section1 the term electronic funds transfer-- 7#a7 means a transfer of funds1 other than a transaction by check1 draft1 or similar paper instrument1 that is initiated through an electronic terminal1 telephone1 or computer or magnetic tape for the purpose of ordering1 instructing1 or authorizing a financial institution to debit or credit an account2 and 7#b7 includes point of sale transfers1 automated teller machine transfers1 direct deposit or withdrawal of funds1 transfers initiated by telephone1 and transfers resulting from debit card transactions4 7b7 ,authority ,to accept credit card payments and electronic funds transfers 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,district of ,columbia courts may accept payment of fines1 fees1 escrow payments1 restitution1 bonds1 and other payments to the courts by credit card or electronic funds transfer4 7#b7 ,use of vendors and third party providers ,the ,executive officer-- 7,a7 may contract with a bank or credit card vendor1 or other third party provider1 for purposes of accepting payments by credit card or electronic funds transfer2 and 7,b7 shall make every effort to find the lowest cost vendor for purposes of accepting such payments4 7#c7 ,responsibility for paying fees ,under any contract entered into under paragraph 7#b71 the person making the payment shall be responsible for covering any fee or charge associated or imposed with respect to the method of payment4 7#d7 ,completion of payment ,if a person elects to make a payment to the ,district of ,columbia courts by a method authorized under paragraph 7#a71 the payment shall not be deemed to be made until the courts receive the funds4 7c7 ,authority ,to accept checks 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,district of ,columbia courts may accept payment of fines1 fees1 escrow payments1 restitution1 bonds1 and other payments to the courts by check4 7#b7 ,use of check guarantee vendor ,the ,executive ,officer-- 7,a7 may contract with a check guarantee vendor for purposes of accepting payments by check2 and 7,b7 shall make every effort to find the lowest cost vendor for purposes of accepting such payments4 7#c7 ,responsibility for paying fees ,under any contract entered into under paragraph 7#b71 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 payment4 7d7 ,liability for non-,payment ,if a check or other method of payment1 including payment by credit card1 debit card1 or charge card1 so received is not duly paid1 or is paid and subsequently charged back to the ,district of ,columbia courts1 the person by whom such check or other method of payment has been tendered shall remain liable for the payment1 to the same extent as if such check or other method of payment had not been tendered4 4 7b7 ,technical and conforming amendment ,the table of sections for subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ag of title #aa1 ,district of ,columbia ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #aa-agdh4 ,authority of courts to accept certain types of payments4 4 #e4 ,increase in maximum amount in controversy permitted for cases under jurisdiction of ,small ,claims and ,conciliation ,branch of ,superior ,court 7a7 ,in general ,section #aa-acba1 ,district of ,columbia ,official ,code1 is amended by striking #e1jjj and inserting #aj1jjj4 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendment made by subsection 7a7 shall apply to any case filed in the ,superior ,court of the ,district of ,columbia on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4 #f4 ,authority to approve compensation of attorneys in excess of maximum amount 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,criminal defense appointments ,section #aa-bfjd7;c71 ,district of ,columbia ,official ,code1 is amended by striking the last sentence and inserting the following3 ,each chief judge may delegate such approval authority to an active or senior judge in the court in which the chief judge sits44 7#b7 ,child abuse and neglect appointments ,section #af-bcbf4ja7;f71 ,district of ,columbia ,official ,code1 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking 7f77#a7 and inserting 7f72 7,b7 by striking paragraph 7#b72 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 ,each chief judge may delegate such approval authority to an active or senior judge in the court in which the chief judge sits44 7b7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by subsection 7a7 shall apply with respect to any case or proceeding initiated on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4 ,passed the ,house of ,representatives ,september #bb1 #bjaf4,karen ,l4 ,haas1,clerk4