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H.R. 5140

U.S. House•Engrossed

Summary

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, was introduced in the House on Sep 4, 2025 by Rep. Brandon Gill (R) with 6 co-sponsors. It last saw action on Sep 17, 2025: Received in the Senate.

Record

Text

H.R. 5140 has 6 co-sponsors, 1 roll call and 1 amendment.

hb5140/engrossed-in-house.txt
119 HR 5140 EH: 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.
 U.S. House of Representatives
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I
 119th CONGRESS   1st Session
 H. R. 5140
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
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.
1.
Lowering age at which a minor may be tried as adult for certain criminal offenses in District of Columbia
(a)
Lowering age at which minor may be excluded from jurisdiction of Family Court
Section 16–2301, District of Columbia Official Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (3), by striking  sixteen years of age  and inserting  fourteen years of age ; and
(2)
in paragraph (3) in the matter following subparagraph (C), by striking  the age of sixteen  and inserting  the age of fourteen .
(b)
Lowering age at which minor may be transferred to criminal proceeding
Section 16–2307(a), District of Columbia Official Code, is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1), by striking  fifteen  and inserting  fourteen ; and
(2)
in paragraph (2), by striking  sixteen  and inserting  fourteen .
(c)
Applicability
This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, shall apply with respect to criminal offenses committed on and after the date of the enactment of this Act.
      Passed the House of Representatives September 16, 2025.  Kevin F. McCumber,  Clerk.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-09-04
  2. Passed House2025-09-16
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in House Sep 4, 2025

hb5140/introduced-in-house.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (09/04/2025)

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.

Sponsors

Rep. Brandon Gill (R) sponsors H.R. 5140, and 6 members have co-sponsored it.

Committees

H.R. 5140 went before 1 committee: Oversight and Government Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform
Oversight and Government Reform
Markup By · Sep 10, 2025 · 696 Bills

Actions

H.R. 5140 has taken 15 actions since Sep 4, 2025, the latest on Sep 17, 2025.

ChamberAction
Sep 17, 2025
Senate
Received in the Senate.
Sep 16, 202515:36
House
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 707. (consideration: CR H4339)
Sep 16, 202515:36
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 16, 202515:37
House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5140.
Sep 16, 202516:02
House
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

Votes

H.R. 5140 went to 1 roll call in the House, the latest on Sep 16, 2025 at 225–203.

ChamberQuestion
Yea
Nay
Sep 16, 2025
House
On Passage
225
203

Amendments

1 amendment has been offered to H.R. 5140, the latest acted on Sep 16, 2025.

1 bill is related to H.R. 5140.

HRES 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.Mar 25, 2026 · Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1131, H.Res. 707 is amended. · Related bill

Titles

H.R. 5140 goes by 3 titles.

  • 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. — Display 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. — Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
  • 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. — Official Title as Introduced

Cost estimate

The Congressional Budget Office has filed 1 estimate for H.R. 5140, the latest on Sep 15, 2025.

Lobbying

8 clients hired 9 firms and 44 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 5140 in 23 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Civil Rights/Civil Liberties, Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice, Government Issues, District of Columbia, Firearms/Guns/Ammunition, Budget/Appropriations, Constitution, Immigration.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
THE SENTENCING PROJECTThe Sentencing Project advocates for effective and humane responses to crime that minimizeDistrict of Columbia25$6.5K
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE—District of Columbia15—
DUE PROCESS INSTITUTE—District of Columbia14—
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.501c3 NFP focusing on civil rightsAlabama13—
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION—District of Columbia12—
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS—District of Columbia12—
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE U.S.—District of Columbia11—
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS (NACDL)—District of Columbia11—

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE15—
DUE PROCESS INSTITUTE14—
MR. KEITH WALLINGTON13$6.5K
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.13—
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION12—
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS12—
THE SENTENCING PROJECT12—
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE U.S.11—
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS (NACDL)11—

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill. The 20 named most often, of 44.

LobbyistFirmsClientsFilings
CATHERINE MOUER115
MARK COLLINS115
TARANEH SCHARDT115
JASON PYE114
SHANA-TARA O'TOOLE114
KEITH WALLINGTON113
SAKIRA COOK113
CHRISTOPHER ANDERS112
ELIZABETH KOMAR112
ELLEN FLENNIKEN112
FRANK TORRES112
JONATHAN WALTER112
KATE VOIGT112
KEYARMIN HAMADANCHY112
KIMBERLY CONWAY112
MADISON ROBERTS112
MAYA WILEY112
MEETA ANAND112
NAUREEN SHAH112
NINA PATEL112

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.2025 third_quarter$2.7M3rd Quarter - Report
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTSLEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS2025 third_quarter$530K3rd Quarter - Report
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNIONAMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION2025 fourth_quarter$520K4th Quarter - Report
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.2026 first_quarter$450K1st Quarter - Report
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNIONAMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION2025 third_quarter$400K3rd Quarter - Report
SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER, INC.2025 fourth_quarter$250K4th Quarter - Report
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTSLEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS2025 fourth_quarter$170K4th Quarter - Report
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE U.S.LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE U.S.2025 third_quarter$140K3rd Quarter - Report
THE SENTENCING PROJECTTHE SENTENCING PROJECT2025 fourth_quarter$52.2K4th Quarter - Report
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCEBRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE2026 second_quarter$40K2nd Quarter - Report
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCEBRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE2026 first_quarter$40K1st Quarter - Report
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCEBRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE2025 third_quarter$40K3rd Quarter - Amendme…
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCEBRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE2025 fourth_quarter$40K4th Quarter - Report
DUE PROCESS INSTITUTEDUE PROCESS INSTITUTE2025 third_quarter$40K3rd Quarter - Report
BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCEBRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE2025 third_quarter$40K3rd Quarter - Report
THE SENTENCING PROJECTTHE SENTENCING PROJECT2025 third_quarter$33.9K3rd Quarter - Report
DUE PROCESS INSTITUTEDUE PROCESS INSTITUTE2026 second_quarter$15K2nd Quarter - Report
DUE PROCESS INSTITUTEDUE PROCESS INSTITUTE2026 first_quarter$15K1st Quarter - Report
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS (NACDL)NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS (NACDL)2025 third_quarter$15K3rd Quarter - Report
DUE PROCESS INSTITUTEDUE PROCESS INSTITUTE2025 fourth_quarter$10K4th Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 5140 under Crime and Law Enforcement, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 4 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 5140’s is Crime and Law Enforcement.

hr5140/policy-areas.txt
Crime and Law EnforcementAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 5140 carries 4 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation to Violent crime.

hr5140/subjects.txt
Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogationDistrict of ColumbiaJuvenile crime and gang violenceViolent crime

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 5140, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 145 (Thursday, September 4, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. GILL of Texas:H.R. 5140.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1, Section 8[Page H3862]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com