93 STAT. 1284
PUBLIC LAW 96-170—DEC. 29, 1979
Public Law 96-170 96th Congress
An Act Dec. 29, 1979 [H.R. 3343]
Civil rights in the District of Columbia. Suits for violation, permit.
Effective date. 28 USC 1343 note.
To permit civil suits under section 1979 of the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1983) against any person acting under color of any law or custom of the District of Columbia who subjects any person within the jurisdiction of the District of Columbia to the deprivation of any right, privilege, or immunity secured by the Constitution and laws.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That section 1979 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (42 U.S.C. 1983) is amended— (1) by inserting "or the District of Columbia" after "any State or Territory"; and (2) by adding at the end thereof the following new sentence: "For the purposes of this section, any Act of Congress applicable exclusively to the District of Columbia shall be considered to be a statute of the District of Columbia.". SEC. 2. Section 1343 of title 28, United States Code, is amended— (1) by inserting "(a)" before "The district courts; and (2) by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection: "(b) For purposes of this section— "(1) the District of Columbia shall be considered to be a State; and "(2) any Act of Congress applicable exclusively to the District of Columbia shall be considered to be a statute of the District of Columbia.". SEC. 3. The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to any deprivation of rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws occurring after the date of the enactment of this Act. Approved December 29, 1979.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: HOUSE REPORT No. 96-548 (Comm. on the District of Columbia). CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 125 (1979): Nov. 27, considered and passed House. Dec. 18, considered and passed Senate.
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