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.

Summary

This bill lowers the age at which an individual may be tried as an adult for certain criminal offenses in the District of Columbia (DC) to 14 years of age. Under current DC law, an individual who is under 18 years of age is tried as a juvenile in family court. However, an individual who is 16 years of age or older may be tried as an adult if the individual is charged with murder, first-degree sexual abuse, burglary in the first degree, robbery while armed, or assault with intent to commit any such offense. Additionally, an individual who is 15 years of age or older may be tried as an adult if the individual is alleged to have committed a felony and it is determined that (1) it is in the interest of the public welfare to try the individual as an adult, and (2) there are no reasonable prospects for the individual's rehabilitation. The bill lowers the minimum age to be tried as an adult in these cases to 14 years of age.

Summary from the Congressional Research Service. How we handle summaries

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform · U.S. House of Representatives

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Cosponsors

Recorded votes

• Vote: On Passage

  U.S. HouseSep 16, 2025Result: Passed

  Voted yes (225)Voted no (203)Voted present (0)Absent (4)

  See member positions

Related bills

• H.Res. 707Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4922) to limit youth offender status in the District of Columbia to individuals 18 years of age or younger, to direct the Attorney General of the District of Columbia to establish and operate a publicly accessible website containing updated statistics on juvenile crime in the District of Columbia, to amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to prohibit the Council of the District of Columbia from enacting changes to existing criminal liability sentences, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5143) to establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5140) 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; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5125) to amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to terminate the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1047) to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of certain projects, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3015) to reestablish the National Coal Council in the Department of Energy to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy on matters related to coal and the coal industry, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3062) to establish a more uniform, transparent, and modern process to authorize the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of international border-crossing facilities for the import and export of oil and natural gas and the transmission of electricity; and for other purposes.Related bill, procedurally related

As identified by Congress.gov.

Full history

1. Sep 17, 2025

   Introduced

   Introduced in U.S. House

   U.S. House

2. Sep 17, 2025

   Sent to the executive

   Received in the Senate.

   U.S. Senate

3. Sep 16, 2025

   Considered as Unfinished business. (consideration: cr H4346)

   Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4346)

4. Sep 16, 2025

   Considered as Unfinished business. (consideration: cr H4346)

   Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4346)

5. Sep 16, 2025

   Considered as Unfinished business. (consideration: cr H4346)

   Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4346)

Read the record

• Read on Congress.gov (opens in a new tab) The official record on Congress.gov.