H.R. 5140House bill · 119th CongressIn the SenateCrime and Law Enforcement

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.

Sponsored byBrandon GillR-TX-26Introduced Sep 4, 2025Full text on congress.gov ↗

Latest action (Sep 17, 2025) Received in the Senate.

What it does

Congressional Research Service, Sep 4, 2025

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.

Face Value

as passed the House
100Narrow

How much of this bill its name accounts for.

  • Every bill starts at100
  • Nothing counted against it: one area of law, and short enough that length doesn't register.

Face Value measures reach, not honesty. A big bill can be accurately named, and a low score is not an accusation — it means the contents reach further than any short title could describe. Count it yourself ↗ How this is worked out

What Congress did

1 recorded
  • decisive vote

    House · Sep 16, 2025

    Whether the bill passes the House. This is the vote most people mean.

    225203

    Passed

    Every vote →

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