DC Council to take final vote on juvenile curfew bill

DC Council to vote again on juvenile curfew bill

The D.C. Council will hold its second vote Tuesday on the Juvenile Curfew Amendment Act of 2025, deciding whether to make the city’s curfew zone laws permanent.

WASHINGTON - The D.C. Council will hold its second and final vote Tuesday on the Juvenile Curfew Amendment Act of 2025, deciding whether to make the city’s curfew zone laws permanent.

What we know:

Two amendments proposed on Monday from Councilmember Brianna Nadeau seeks to end the permanent curfew bill in 2028, while another would prohibit D.C. police from taking teens to detention centers only for a curfew violation.

The debate comes as the Council continues to confront teen takeover events, chaotic and often violent gatherings that a Council report says have been a phenomenon since 2023.

 Temporary emergency measures had been used to address the issue since last year, in place of permanent changes. 

More recently, the D.C. Council failed to pass another emergency bill, prompting Mayor Muriel Bowser to impose curfew zone rules through a temporary executive order. That order expired this past Friday.

The Juvenile Curfew Amendment Act bumps up the citywide curfew to 11 p.m. and allows police to establish curfew zones in popular gathering spots. In those zones, juveniles are not allowed to gather in groups of nine or more without an adult from 8 p.m. until the 11 p.m. citywide curfew begins.

Opponents argue the policy leads to over‑policing and does not work. Supporters say it is a needed tool.

If the Council approves the bill Tuesday, officials previously said it would likely not take effect until after the summer months, as it would still require the mayor’s signature and Congressional approval.