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HR5140FEDERALSession 119Federal Billpassed chamber

Passed

Proposed Law to Lower Age for Trying Minors as Adults in D.C.

Original title: To lower the age at which a minor may be tried as an adult for certain criminal offenses in the District of Columbia to 14 years of age.

Last action · September 17, 2025: Received in the Senate.Sponsors: Brandon Gill and 6 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

This bill would lower the minimum age from 16 to 14 for minors to be tried as adults for certain criminal offenses in the District of Columbia. If passed, individuals as young as 14 could face adult criminal proceedings rather than juvenile court jurisdiction.

Why it matters

This change would expand the number of youth in the District of Columbia subject to adult criminal sentencing and incarceration, shifting their legal status from the family court system to the adult criminal justice system.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Minors aged 14 and 15 in the District of Columbia

These individuals would become eligible for transfer to adult criminal proceedings for certain offenses, whereas they were previously under the jurisdiction of the family court.

Directly affected

District of Columbia Family Court

The court's jurisdiction over specific criminal cases involving 14 and 15-year-olds would be reduced.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill apply to all crimes committed by minors?

The bill applies to 'certain criminal offenses' as defined under the existing D.C. Official Code sections being amended.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

15 actions

Sep 17, 2025Senate
Received in the Senate.
Sep 16, 2025House
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Sep 16, 2025HouseFloor
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 225 - 203 (Roll no. 271). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4339)
Sep 16, 2025HouseFloor
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 225 - 203 (Roll no. 271). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4339)
Sep 16, 2025House
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4346)
Sep 16, 2025House
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 5140, the Chair put the question on passage of the bill, and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Garcia (CA) demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.

Show 9 earlier actions

Sep 16, 2025House
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Sep 16, 2025House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5140.
Sep 16, 2025House
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015 and H.R. 3062. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015, and H.R. 3062 under a closed rule, and provides for a motion to recommit on each measure.
Sep 16, 2025House
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 707. (consideration: CR H4339)
Sep 15, 2025House
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 707 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015 and H.R. 3062. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 4922, H.R. 5143, H.R. 5140, H.R. 5125, H.R. 1047, H.R. 3015, and H.R. 3062 under a closed rule, and provides for a motion to recommit on each measure.
Sep 10, 2025HouseCommittee
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 26 - 19.
Sep 10, 2025House
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Sep 4, 2025HouseCommittee
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Sep 4, 2025HouseIntroduced
Introduced in House

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Voting Record

Outcome not reportedHouse9/16/2025Voteview

Total

427

Yes: 225
No: 202
Present: 0
Not voting: 0
Abstain: 0

How they voted (427)

403 more members

Jennifer McClellanDno

Michael BaumgartnerRyes

Andrew GarbarinoRyes

Richard McCormickRyes

April McClain DelaneyDno

Mariannette Miller-MeeksRyes

Debbie Wasserman SchultzDno

Sydney Kamlager-DoveDno

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormickDno

Charles FleischmannRyes

Nicholas LangworthyRyes

Virginia FoxxRyes

Marlin StutzmanRyes

Dale StrongRyes

Jefferson Van DrewRyes

Diana HarshbargerRyes

Nathaniel MoranRyes

Gus BilirakisRyes

Christopher SmithRyes

Brian FitzpatrickRyes

Raja KrishnamoorthiDno

Alexandria Ocasio-CortezDno

Michelle FischbachRyes

Kristen McDonald RivetDno

Brittany PettersenDno

Mario Diaz-BalartRyes

Marilyn StricklandDno

Monica De La CruzRyes

Teresa Leger FernandezDno

Nicole MalliotakisRyes

Mike BostRyes

Gabe EvansRyes

Derrick Van OrdenRyes

Full roll-call analysis →

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Lowering Juvenile Age Threshold

The bill systematically replaces age references of 15, 16, and 18 with 14 across multiple sections of the D.C. Code to standardize the age of adult criminal transfer.

District of Columbia