House Passes ‘DC Crimes Act,’ Redefines Youth Offender

The bills limit the D.C. government’s authority on crime, and allow people as young as 14 to be tried as adults.
House Passes ‘DC Crimes Act,’ Redefines Youth Offender
Federal and local law enforcement officers investigate a suspect’s vehicle on South Capitol Street in Washington, D.C.. on Aug. 11, 2025. Alex Wong/Getty Images
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The House of Representatives passed two bills on Sept. 16 that seek to change how crimes are prosecuted in Washington as the Trump administration continues to keep the National Guard active in the nation’s capital to crack down on crime.

The first bill, titled the “D.C. Crimes Act,” would limit the D.C. government’s authority over its own criminal sentencing laws. It also eliminates its authority to change any criminal liability sentence that is in effect on the date the bill is enacted. 
T.J. Muscaro
T.J. Muscaro
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Based out of Tampa, Florida, TJ primarily covers weather and national politics.