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.

Sponsor: Brandon Gill (Republican-TX)September 4, 2025

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Introduced

In Committee

Passed One Chamber

Passed Both Chambers

Signed into Law

Received in the Senate.

Lowers the age for young people in Washington D.C. to be tried as adults for certain crimes to 14.

This bill would change the rules in Washington D.C. for how young people are tried for certain crimes. Currently, minors are usually tried in Family Court unless they are 15 or 16 years old. This bill would make it possible for 14-year-olds to be tried as adults for certain serious offenses.

What Would Change

Today, young people in Washington D.C. who are 15 or 16 years old can be tried as adults for certain serious crimes. If this bill becomes law, young people as young as 14 years old would be eligible to be tried as adults for those same types of offenses.

Key Provisions

Lowers the age from 16 to 14 for when a minor in Washington D.C. could be excluded from the Family Court's authority for certain crimes.
Changes the age from 15 or 16 to 14 for when a minor in Washington D.C. could be moved to an adult criminal trial for certain crimes.
Would apply to criminal offenses committed on or after the date the bill becomes law.