District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025
Official title: To require mandatory pretrial and post conviction detention for crimes of violence and dangerous crimes and require mandatory cash bail for certain offenses th… Show full official titleShow less
Official title: To require mandatory pretrial and post conviction detention for crimes of violence and dangerous crimes and require mandatory cash bail for certain offenses that pose a threat to public safety or order in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.
| Date | Chamber | What was voted on | Result | Yes–No | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 19, 2025 | House · vote #298 | On Passage | Passed | 237–179 | See who voted → |
Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.
1 agreed to
| Amendment | Sponsor | Status |
|---|---|---|
| HAMDT 109 | – | Agreed to |
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Received in the Senate.
District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025
This bill mandates, in the District of Columbia (DC), pretrial and post-conviction detention for crimes of violence and dangerous crimes and cash bail to obtain pretrial release for public safety or order crimes.
Under current DC law, a court may generally order a defendant released before trial based on the judge’s assessment of the risks posed by the defendant's release. If the defendant is charged with a crime of violence or a dangerous crime, the court must determine conditions for release; if the defendant has a prior history of such crimes, is charged with a crime that involves deadly weapons, or is charged with a crime of violence, there is a rebuttable presumption that the defendant must be detained.
The bill requires defendants charged with a crime of violence or a dangerous crime to be detained while awaiting trial. It also prohibits a court from releasing a defendant charged with a public safety or order crime without a secured appearance bond (i.e., money or property subject to forfeiture). Public safety or order crimes include fleeing from a law enforcement officer, rioting, and stalking.
Current DC law also allows individuals who are convicted of an offense to be released pending sentencing or an appeal if the court finds the individual is unlikely to flee or pose a danger to others. The bill requires individuals who are convicted of a crime of violence or a dangerous crime to be detained in these circumstances.
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- HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
- CAPITOL COUNSEL LLC
- CAPITOL COUNSEL LLC
- CAPITOL COUNSEL LLC
- NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS (NACDL)
- CAPITOL COUNSEL LLC
Bodies those filers lobbied
- HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
- SENATE
- Justice, Dept of (DOJ)
- Homeland Security, Dept of (DHS)
- Housing & Urban Development, Dept of (HUD)
- Education, Dept of
- Office of Management & Budget (OMB)
- State, Dept of (DOS)
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5214: District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-5214/
"H.R. 5214: District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-5214/.
H.R. 5214, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-5214/.
[H.R. 5214: District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-5214/)