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B26-0266 • 2025

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

Special Education for Young Adults in the Custody of the Department of Corrections Congressional Review 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
2025-07-04
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the act applies as of May 30, 2025, but covers the school year starting August 2024; this suggests retroactive application for part of the covered period.

Special Education for Young Adults in D.C. Corrections Facilities

This emergency law requires the Department of Corrections to provide special education services to young adults with disabilities held in 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 under federal and District law.
  • Requires schools within correctional facilities to serve individuals with disabilities from age 18 until they no longer qualify for special education services.
  • Applies specifically during the school year that began in August 2024 and ends in June or July 2025.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Young adults with disabilities who are at least 18 years old.
  • Individuals currently held in custody or detained in secure facilities run by the District's Department of Corrections.
  • The Department of Corrections, which must now provide these educational services.

Terms To Know

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
Special education and related services provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and District law to students with disabilities in correctional custody.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The federal law that guarantees special education rights for individuals with disabilities, referenced as a standard this act follows.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act is an emergency measure and will expire no later than September 23, 2025.
  • The text does not specify the exact amount of funding or staff needed to carry out these new requirements.
  • The law only covers students during a specific school year (2024-2025) and ends when their eligibility under federal special education laws stops.

Bill History

  1. 2025-07-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0084 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 007525, Expires on Sep 23, 2025

  2. 2025-06-25 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0084, Expires on Sep 23, 2025

  3. 2025-06-25 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  4. 2025-06-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jun 25, 2025

  5. 2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-06-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-05-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0266 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 Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
ANACT
D.C. ACT 26-84
INTHE COUNCILOF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.
JUNE 25, 2025
‘Toamend,onanemergencybasis,duetocongressionalreview,AnActTocreateaDepartmentofCorrectionsintheDistrictofColumbiaandtheCorrectionsOversightImprovementOmnibusAmendmentActof2022todesignatetheDepartmentofCorrectionsastheDistrictagencytoprovideafreeappropriatepubliceducationundertheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationActandDistrictlawtocertainindividualsinitscustodyanddetainedinitssecurefacilities.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“SpecialEducationforYoungAdultsintheCustodyoftheDepartmentofCorrectionsCongressionalReviewEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.Section2(b)of An Act To createa Department of Correctionsinthe Districtof
Columbia,approvedJune27,1946(60Stat.320;D.C.OfficialCode§24-211.02(b)),isamendedasfollows:(a)Paragraph(9)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.(b)Thefirstparagraph(10)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.(©)Thesecondparagraph(10)isredesignatedasparagraph(11).(@)Paragraph(11)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandinsertingthephrase“;and”in
its place.
, (©)A newparagraph(12)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(12)Duringschoolyear2024-2025,provideafreeappropriatepubliceducation(CFAPE”)undertheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct,approvedApril13,1970(84Stat.175;20U.S.C.§1400etseq.)(“IDEA”),andDistrictlawtoindividualswithdisabilitieswhoareinitscustodyanddetainedinitssecurefacilitiesfromtheageof18throughtheendofthe individual’seligibilityforFAPE under the IDEA and Districtlaw.”.

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
Sec.3.Amendedsection2withinsection10(a)oftheCorrectionsOversightImprovementOmnibusAmendmentActof2022,effectiveApril21,2023(D.C.Law24-344:70DCR635),isamendedasfollows:(a)Paragraph(12)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingasemicolonin
itsplace,(b)Paragraph(13)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandinsertingthephrase“;and”initsplace,(c)A newparagraph(14)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“(14)Duringschoolyear2024-2025,provideafreeappropriatepubliceducation(“PAPE”)undertheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct,approvedApril13,1970(84Stat.175;20U.S.C.§1400efseq.)(“IDEA”),andDistrictlawtoindividualswithdisabilitieswhoareinitscustodyanddetainedinitssecurefacilitiesfromtheageof18throughtheendoftheindividual'seligibilityforFAPEundertheIDEAandDistrictlaw.”.
Sec.4.Applicability.ThisactshallapplyasofMay30,2025.
Sec.5.Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a)..
Sec.6,Effectivedate.
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectnolongerthan90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)of
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
theDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C.Official
Code§1-204.12(a)).
‘hairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

District6fColumbiaAPPROVED
JUNE 25, 2025

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COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA

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