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CIVIC HERALD
HR 5140 · 119th Congress · HouseOther

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.

Provisional: our plain-language summary, pending review.

In plain language: This bill lowers the minimum age at which minors in Washington, D.C., can be prosecuted as adults from 16 down to 14 for certain serious offenses. It allows prosecutors to file charges against 14- and 15-year-olds directly in adult criminal court or ask a judge to transfer their cases out of the juvenile system. As a result, younger teenagers accused of major crimes would face adult legal proceedings and standard adult criminal penalties instead of juvenile rehabilitation.

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Provisionalunreviewed: impact, provisions, stakeholders, summary
People affected—The text does not specify the number of individuals affected; the population depends on future counts of 14- and 15-year-old defendants charged with qualifying offenses in the District of Columbia.
Fiscal magnitude—The bill text contains no appropriations, authorizations, or direct financial provisions.
Reach
provisional · pending review28rigor: heuristic llm
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Issues

What this bill touches.

Sentencing & corrections−35Federal vs. state/local+30

The sign shows the bill's direction on each issue (+ toward, − away); the number is its magnitude. Color never encodes good or bad, and never party.

Who it affects

Who it helps · who it burdens.

Provisional: our reading of who it affects, pending review.

Who it burdens

  • 14- and 15-year-olds charged with qualifying serious crimes in D.C.Faces automatic exclusion or discretionary transfer from D.C. Family Court to adult criminal court, exposing them to adult prosecution, adult criminal procedures, and adult penalties for offenses committed on or after enactment (Sec. 1(a), 1(b), 1(c)).provisional
  • D.C. Family CourtLoses jurisdiction over 14- and 15-year-olds charged with certain serious crimes, who are now automatically prosecuted as adults or made eligible for transfer to adult criminal court (Sec. 1(a), 1(b)).provisional
  • D.C. adult criminal court systemTakes on jurisdiction to try and sentence 14- and 15-year-olds charged with serious offenses who were previously processed in Family Court (Sec. 1(a), 1(b)).provisional

Dollar-level funding (FEC sector totals) is coming in a later phase.

What it does

The provisions, in plain language.

Provisional: our reading of what the bill does, pending review.

  1. Lowers the minimum age from 16 to 14 at which a minor charged with certain serious crimes (such as murder or armed robbery) is automatically excluded from D.C. Family Court jurisdiction and charged as an adult, for offenses committed on or after enactment.

    Sec. 1(a)provisional

  2. Lowers the minimum age from 15 (or 16, depending on the offense) down to 14 at which a minor may be transferred from Family Court to adult criminal court for prosecution, for offenses committed on or after enactment.

    Sec. 1(b)provisional

How your members of Congress line up

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The record

How members voted on H.R. 5140.

Recorded roll calls on this bill, most recent first. Open one to see each member's position.

  • House · Sep 16, 2025 · YEA-AND-NAY

    On Passage · Passed

    Source →

Timeline

How it moved.

Show all 15 actions
  1. Sep 17, 2025Received in the Senate.
  2. Sep 16, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Sep 16, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 225 - 203 (Roll no. 271). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4339)
  4. Sep 16, 2025Passed/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)
  5. Sep 16, 2025Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4346)
  6. Sep 16, 2025POSTPONED 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.
  7. Sep 16, 2025The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
  8. Sep 16, 2025DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5140.
  9. Sep 16, 2025Rule 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.
  10. Sep 16, 2025Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 707. (consideration: CR H4339)
  11. Sep 15, 2025Rules 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.
  12. Sep 10, 2025Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 26 - 19.
  13. Sep 10, 2025Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  14. Sep 4, 2025Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
  15. Sep 4, 2025Introduced in House
  1. Sep 17, 2025Received in the Senate.
  2. Sep 16, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Sep 16, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 225 - 203 (Roll no. 271). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H4339)
  4. Sep 16, 2025Passed/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)
  5. Sep 15, 2025Rules 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.
  6. Sep 10, 2025Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 26 - 19.
  7. Sep 4, 2025Introduced in House

The original text

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Sources & provenance

Congress.govrefreshed 4 months ago

Cite this page

Civic Herald. “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. (H.R. 5140, 119th Congress).” https://civicherald.app/bills/119-hr-5140. Congress.gov record as of Jul 13, 2026.

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