Proposed Changes to Police Car Chase Rules in D.C.

Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently passed_chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Signed.

Last action

Received in the Senate.Sep 18, 2025

Version history & redline

2 versions on file

Comparing Introduced in House → Engrossed in House

[Generated by AI - not the official text]

Changes to the District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025 • The bill now explicitly excludes federal law enforcement officers from the new vehicular pursuit standards being applied to District of Columbia officers. (high significance) • The language regarding officer conduct during pursuits was softened from a mandatory requirement ('shall') to a discretionary allowance ('may').

Mr. Donalds Mr. Higgins of Louisiana

removed addedOfficial text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 5143 Introduced Engrossed in House (IH)] (EH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5143 To establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 4, 2025 Mr. Higgins of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. Donalds) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL AN ACT To establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes. Be […] the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``District of Columbia Policing Protection Act''. Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. VEHICULAR PURSUITS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. (a) Amendment.--The Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. […] the heading, by striking ``LIMITATIONS ON THE''; (B) in section 127(a) (sec. 5-365.01(a), D.C. Official Code)-- (i) by striking paragraphs (1) through (5); (ii) in paragraph (6), by striking the period at the end and inserting the following: ``, except that such term does not include a sworn federal law enforcement officer of a covered federal law enforcement agency as defined in section 11712(d) of the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 (sec. 5-133.17(d), D.C. Official Code).''; (iii) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; (iii) (iv) by striking paragraphs (8) through (11); and (iv) (v) by redesignating paragraph (12) as paragraph (3); and (C) in section 128 (sec. 5-365.02, D.C. Official Code), by striking subsections (a), (b), and (c) and inserting the following: ``If a law enforcement officer encounters a suspect fleeing in a motor vehicle, the officer shall may engage in a vehicular pursuit of the suspect unless the officer, or a higher-ranking official with supervisory authority over the officer, reasonably believes that-- […] Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; (B) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (C) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives; and (D) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives. <all>Passed the House of Representatives September 17, 2025. Attest: Clerk. 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5143 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To establish standards for law enforcement officers in the District of Columbia to engage in vehicular pursuits of suspects, and for other purposes.

Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

Amendments

Proposed changes to this bill, each tied to the legislator who offered it. An amendment is distinct from a bill version (the full text at a stage): it is a specific change, with its own author. 1 amendment on file.

House Amendment 106Sep 17, 2025
Sponsored by Rules Committee
Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 707, the amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 119-11 is considered adopted.
Latest action: On agreeing to the Rules amendment (A001) Agreed to without objection.
View on congress.gov →

The Frame

What this does

This legislation shifts the default policy for D.C. police from restricting car chases to requiring them, which directly impacts the operational procedures of the Metropolitan Police Department and the safety protocols for D.C. residents.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia

The department must change its internal policies regarding when officers are permitted or required to initiate vehicular pursuits.

D.C. residents

Residents may experience an increase in police vehicle pursuits in their neighborhoods and may eventually be notified of active pursuits via new alert technology.

What changed

Current stage: passed_chamber.

What's next

Signed.

Summary

This bill changes the rules for when police in Washington, D.C. are allowed to chase suspects in vehicles. It requires officers to pursue fleeing suspects unless specific safety or effectiveness concerns exist, and it mandates a federal study on using alert technology to warn the public about active chases.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

This legislation shifts the default policy for D.C. police from restricting car chases to requiring them, which directly impacts the operational procedures of the Metropolitan Police Department and the safety protocols for D.C. residents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are police now required to chase every fleeing vehicle?

Yes, unless the officer or a supervisor determines that the chase is , could be handled more effectively another way, or poses an unacceptable risk of harm to bystanders.

What is the 'PursuitAlert' technology mentioned in the bill?

It is a technology designed to alert members of the public when a police pursuit is happening in their immediate area; the bill requires the Department of Justice to study its potential use in D.C.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Outcome not reportedhouse9/17/2025voteview

Total

426

Yes

245

No

181

Present

0

Not Voting

0

Abstain

0

How they voted (426)

+ 402 more

Full roll-call analysis →

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Reversal of 2022 Reform

The bill explicitly strikes sections of the 2022 D.C. Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act, indicating a direct legislative reversal of previous local policy limitations on police pursuits.

Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia

Connected Entities

personMr. Donalds“Cosponsor of the bill”Map →

personMr. Higgins of Louisiana“Introduced the bill in the House”Map →

organizationMetropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia“The police force subject to the new pursuit standards and the DOJ report”Map →

organizationDepartment of Justice“Responsible for evaluating pursuit alert technology”Map →

bill_numberH.R. 5143“The District of Columbia Policing Protection Act of 2025”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.congress.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance75
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy85
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment20
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz40
Current news / social attention level