D.C. Council sets July 15 expiration for temporary pretrial detention changes, awaits CJCC report
February 18, 2025 | Legislative Meetings, Legislative, District of Columbia
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The D.C. Council on Feb. 18 unanimously approved an amendment to Bill 20-682, the Secure D.C. Pretrial Detention and Reporting Temporary Amendment Act of 2025, fixing the expiration of the temporary pretrial detention provisions on July 15, 2025, and noting the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) must submit a report by May 7, 2025.
Councilmember Pinto, the sponsor, told colleagues the amendment is a compromise intended to give the Council time to review the CJCC report and, if needed, act on a permanent measure before summer recess. "I ask my colleagues for their support today," Pinto said when moving the amendment.
The CJCC report ordered by the temporary legislation will compare pretrial detention practices and outcomes before the changes that took effect in July 2023 with those after the changes, Pinto said. Councilmember Pinto said the Judiciary Committee will review the CJCC analysis and share recommendations with other members: "absolutely the Judiciary Committee will be reviewing the report and will be sharing recommendations with colleagues," Pinto said.
Councilmember Parker asked whether the Judiciary Committee would provide an analysis for other members and whether CJCC intends to continue studying pretrial detention in future years. Parker recommended periodic review of the policy once in place. Pinto responded that the current CJCC assignment is time-bound to compare before and after July 2023 and that committee staff will digest and present findings and recommendations to the Council.
Pinto also described the temporary expansion as creating a rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention for certain statutorily defined violent crimes, and stressed that the presumption can be overcome if a defendant is not a flight risk or not dangerous to the community. Pinto said those safeguards "are in effect and are an important piece of this provision."
The Council voted first on the amendment; the ayes were unanimous. The Council then voted on Bill 20-682 as amended, and that vote also carried unanimously.
On the consent agenda, the Council approved four temporary bills without change; the specific titles or numbers of those four consent items were not specified on the record. Councilmember Pinto subsequently pulled consideration of an emergency declaration, PR26-72 (Safety Cluster Resource Alignment and Clarification Emergency Amendment Resolution of 2025); Pinto withdrew the measure and the item was not considered.
The meeting was convened in Room 500 of the Johnny Wilson Building and was televised on Council Channel 13 and streamed on the Council's website, www.dccouncil.gov. After the votes the chair closed the session and noted that the Council had another meeting scheduled later the same day.
Councilmember Pinto, the sponsor, told colleagues the amendment is a compromise intended to give the Council time to review the CJCC report and, if needed, act on a permanent measure before summer recess. "I ask my colleagues for their support today," Pinto said when moving the amendment.
The CJCC report ordered by the temporary legislation will compare pretrial detention practices and outcomes before the changes that took effect in July 2023 with those after the changes, Pinto said. Councilmember Pinto said the Judiciary Committee will review the CJCC analysis and share recommendations with other members: "absolutely the Judiciary Committee will be reviewing the report and will be sharing recommendations with colleagues," Pinto said.
Councilmember Parker asked whether the Judiciary Committee would provide an analysis for other members and whether CJCC intends to continue studying pretrial detention in future years. Parker recommended periodic review of the policy once in place. Pinto responded that the current CJCC assignment is time-bound to compare before and after July 2023 and that committee staff will digest and present findings and recommendations to the Council.
Pinto also described the temporary expansion as creating a rebuttable presumption of pretrial detention for certain statutorily defined violent crimes, and stressed that the presumption can be overcome if a defendant is not a flight risk or not dangerous to the community. Pinto said those safeguards "are in effect and are an important piece of this provision."
The Council voted first on the amendment; the ayes were unanimous. The Council then voted on Bill 20-682 as amended, and that vote also carried unanimously.
On the consent agenda, the Council approved four temporary bills without change; the specific titles or numbers of those four consent items were not specified on the record. Councilmember Pinto subsequently pulled consideration of an emergency declaration, PR26-72 (Safety Cluster Resource Alignment and Clarification Emergency Amendment Resolution of 2025); Pinto withdrew the measure and the item was not considered.
The meeting was convened in Room 500 of the Johnny Wilson Building and was televised on Council Channel 13 and streamed on the Council's website, www.dccouncil.gov. After the votes the chair closed the session and noted that the Council had another meeting scheduled later the same day.
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