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DC bill would mandate jail before trial for violent crime suspects

Passed one chamberH.R. 5214Latest action

Sponsor: Elise M. Stefanik · Representative · NY

AIDecoded by AI · checked against the record
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Official title: District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025

119th Congress

Topics: Crime & justice

Introduced:

Read the official bill on Congress.gov

In plain words

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The bill mandates pretrial and post-conviction jail for violent crimes in D.C. and requires cash bail for lesser "public safety" offenses.

40-second read · 4 questions answered below

What does this do?

This bill requires D.C. judges to automatically detain anyone charged or convicted of a "crime of violence" or "dangerous crime," with no release option. It narrows the definitions of burglary and robbery to only the more serious versions, and creates a new "public safety or order crimes" category requiring cash bail or secured bonds instead of no-cost release.

Who does it affect?

Affects defendants, judges, prosecutors, bail bond companies, and D.C. residents, since Congress can directly set criminal justice rules for D.C.

Why does it matter?

The bill would shift D.C. away from current no-cash-bail practices toward mandatory detention and required cash bail for certain offenses, taking effect 30 days after becoming law for future charges.

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Read the official bill on Congress.gov

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Where does it stand?

  1. IntroducedSep 8, 2025
  2. House committee
  3. House vote
  4. SenateYou are here · Nov 20, 2025
  5. The president's desk

Right now: it passed the House, and the official record shows nothing new since. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the president.

Latest action: — Received in the Senate.

Data as of October 9, 2026

Recorded votes

Roll-call votes recorded since January 3, 2025.

  1. House · · Roll call 298

    As recorded

    Question
    On Passage
    Result:
    Passed
    237
    Nay
    179
    0
    17

    Republicans 209 yes, 10 not voting · Democrats 28 yes, 179 no, 7 not voting

    Official record
    How members voted

    The official record lists how each member voted.Official record

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