Statement on Signing the Bill To Extend the Period Prohibiting Revision of the District of Columbia Criminal Code.

TODAY I have signed H.R. 12261, a bill "To extend the period during which the Council of the District of Columbia is prohibited from revising the criminal laws of the District."

The prohibition on the Council's changing the Criminal Code is necessary because completion of the study for the comprehensive revision and recodification of the Criminal Code by the D.C. Law Revision Commission is a prerequisite to the transfer of jurisdiction to the Council over the D.C. Criminal Code.

The bill gives the Commission additional time within which to make recommendations to the Congress for the comprehensive revision of the District of Columbia Criminal Code. The Commission has begun the task of reviewing the criminal laws of the District but will not be able to complete its work by January 3,1977, when, without this legislation, the D.C. Council would have been able to amend the District of Columbia Criminal Code.

No major revision of the District's criminal laws should be undertaken without the benefit of the Commission's recommendations.