Criminal Justice (Courts)

This bill, known as the Protecting Victims Amendment Act of 2026, aims to strengthen safety measures for victims of domestic violence and improve accountability for offenders in the District of Columbia. It introduces stricter penalties for repeated violations of protection orders, expands pretrial detention options for individuals with a history of domestic violence, and clarifies laws regarding kidnapping and burglary to close existing legal gaps. Additionally, the legislation updates statutes to address crimes committed in the presence of children and restricts the Metropolitan Police Department from publicly releasing identifying information about victims and witnesses. These changes collectively seek to enhance community safety by ensuring more consistent enforcement of court orders and providing clearer tools for the justice system to handle intrafamily offenses.

The Protecting Judicial Privacy Act of 2026 prohibits government agencies and private entities from publicly displaying personal information about judges and magistrates in the District of Columbia. This information includes home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and details about their children under 18. Under the bill, a judge can send a written request to stop this information from being posted online or in public records, requiring agencies to remove it within five business days and private companies to do so within 48 hours. If a judge's personal data is shared after such a request, they can sue for legal relief and recover legal fees. The law applies to all active and retired judges serving in federal courts and the District of Columbia's court system.

The "Kidnapping Amendment Act of 2025" (Bill B 26-0203) updates Washington D.C.'s kidnapping statute to close gaps identified by a 2024 court ruling. It defines "substantial confinement or movement" as moving someone 20+ feet or confining them for 10+ minutes, ensuring short-duration incidents (like a 20-minute vehicle transport) qualify as kidnapping. The bill expands second-degree kidnapping to cover intent to commit any crime (not just felonies), creates a new misdemeanor offense for less severe restraints (up to 180 days), and clarifies jury requirements for intent. These changes directly affect individuals committing kidnapping or restraint offenses and victims in such incidents across the District.