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B26-0210 • 2025

Special Education for Young Adults in the Custody of the Department of Corrections Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Special Education for Young Adults in the Custody of the Department of Corrections Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Pinto
Last action
2025-04-18
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the act applies as of April 12, 2025, but does not specify an exact effective date beyond that it takes effect following Mayor approval or veto override.

Special Education for Young Adults in DC Corrections Facilities

This emergency law requires the District of Columbia Department of Corrections to provide special education services to young adults with disabilities held in its secure facilities during the 2024-2025 school year.

What This Bill Does

  • Designates the Department of Corrections as the agency responsible for providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) under federal and District law.
  • Requires this service to be provided specifically during the 2024-2025 school year.
  • Applies these requirements to individuals with disabilities who are in custody at secure facilities from age 18 until they no longer qualify for FAPE.
  • Amends existing laws regarding the Department of Corrections and corrections oversight to include this new duty.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Individuals with disabilities aged 18 or older who are detained in District of Columbia secure correctional facilities.
  • The District of Columbia Department of Corrections, which must now provide the education services.

Terms To Know

FAPE
Free Appropriate Public Education. A legal requirement for providing specific educational services to students with disabilities at no cost.
IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The federal law that guarantees special education rights mentioned in this act.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act is an emergency measure and will expire no later than 90 days after it takes effect.
  • The specific funding amount or budget details are not listed in the text, though a fiscal impact statement was adopted by reference.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-18 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0042 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 004548, Expires on Jul 10, 2025

  2. 2025-04-15 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  3. 2025-04-11 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0042, Expires on Jul 10, 2025

  4. 2025-04-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Apr 22, 2025

  5. 2025-04-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-04-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-03-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0210 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Special Education for Young Adults in the Custody of the Department of Corrections Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ANACT

ACT 26-42
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.
APRIL 11, 2025

‘Toamend,onanemergencybasis,AnActTocreateaDepartmentofCorrectionsintheDistrictofColumbiaandtheCorrectionsOversightImprovementOmnibusAmendmentActof2022todesignatetheDepartmentofCorrectionsastheDistrictageneytoprovideafreeappropriatepubliceducationundertheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationActandDistrictlawtocertainindividualsinitscustodyanddetainedinitssecurefacilities.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“SpecialEducationforYoungAdultsintheCustodyoftheDepartmentofCorrectionsEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”,
Sec.2.Section2(b)of An Act To createa DepartmentofCorrections inthe Districtof
Columbia, approved June 27, 1946 (60 Stat.320; D.C. OfficialCode § 24-211.02(b)),is
amendedasfollows:(a)Paragraph(9)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.(b)Thefirstparagraph(10)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.(©)Thesecondparagraph(10)isredesignatedasparagraph(11).(d)Thenewlyredesignatedparagraph(11)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandinsertingthephrase*;and”initsplace.(©)A newparagraph(12)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(12)Duringschoolyear2024-2025,provideafreeappropriatepubliceducation(“FAPE”)undertheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct,approvedApril13,1970(84Stat.175;20 U.S.C. § 1400 efseq.)(“IDEA”), and Districtlaw to individualswith disabilities
whoareinitscustodyanddetainedinitssecurefacilitiesfromtheageof18throughtheendoftheindividual'seligibilityforFAPEundertheIDEAandDistrictlaw.”.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
Sec.3.Amendedsection2withinsection10(a)oftheCorrectionsOversightImprovementOmnibusAmendmentActof2022,effectiveApril21,2023(D.C.Law24-344;70DCR635),isamendedasfollows:(a)Paragraph(12)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“ and”andinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.(b)Paragraph(13)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandinsertingthephrase“;and”initsplace.(©)Anewparagraph(14)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“(14)Duringschoolyear2024-2025,provideafreeappropriatepubliceducation(“FAPE”)undertheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct,approvedApril13,1970(84
Stat.175;20U.S.C.§1400etseq.)(“IDEA”),andDistrictlawtoindividualswithdisabilitieswhoareinitscustodyanddetainedinitssecurefacilitiesfromtheageof18throughtheendoftheindividual'seligibilityforFAPEundertheIDEAandDistrictlaw.”.

Sec.4.Applicability.
ThisactshallapplyasofApril12,2025.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
See.6,Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobythe
Mayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectnolongerthan90
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
0
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

District of\Columbia
APPROVEDAPRIL 11, 2025
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR,
[XJACTION FinalReading
[DC]VOTEDATE ‘April4,2025
[X]VOICEvoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE~Resut

CouncilMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember
ChairmanMendelson]X Henderson| X Pinto
Allen x LewisGeorge| x R.White
Bonds x McDuffie x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X-IndicateVote AB - Absent NV -Present,NotVoting Rec -Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORDaR 4.SecretarytotheCouncil