Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA)
Childhood Offenders Rehabilitation and Safety Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, titled the Childhood Offenders Rehabilitation and Safety Act of 2026, makes several changes to how the federal government handles juvenile offenders and child welfare. It updates definitions and rules under title 18 of the United States Code concerning the age of certain juvenile offenders and their transfer to adult district courts. The legislation also adds new rules regarding murder liability for individuals under the age of 18 at the time of an offense. Furthermore, it requires the Bureau of Justice Statistics to publish comprehensive annual reports on children and individuals incarcerated for crimes committed as children. Finally, it amends the Social Security Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award competitive grants to improve collaboration between State child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Yes· 3 of 10
- Scored +7
Would children be better off under this?
The bill sets clear limits on murder liability for individuals under 18 and creates programs to improve child welfare and juvenile justice collaboration.
- Scored +6
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
Section 3 requires the Bureau of Justice Statistics to publish comprehensive annual reviews and analyses of children in the federal system.
- Scored +6
Does this shorten or soften prison sentences?
The bill updates rules regarding the age of juvenile offenders, restricts murder liability for minors without intent, and enhances support and reporting for incarcerated youth.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 2(d) sets clear limits on when a person under the age of 18 can be held liable for murder, stating they are only liable if they intentionally or knowingly caused a death, or aided and abetted with the intent to kill. This protects young people from harsh murder liability if they did not have the specific intent to kill.
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Section 3 requires the Bureau of Justice Statistics to publish a comprehensive annual review and analysis of children in the federal system, including their demographics, offenses, and sentences. This creates transparency and accountability for the government regarding how it treats incarcerated youth.
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Section 4 establishes the CONNECT Act grants, which allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award competitive grants to State child welfare and juvenile justice agencies. This funding helps states improve collaboration, share data lawfully, and provide targeted educational, behavioral, and pro-social services for vulnerable children like dual-status youth and survivors of commercial sexual exploitation.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Section 2(b) changes the age threshold for transferring certain juveniles to adult district court from fifteen to sixteen years of age. While this raises the age for general transfers, it also maintains provisions where younger children can still be transferred to adult court for certain violent or firearm-related offenses, which could lead to severe adult criminal prosecution for young individuals.
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Section 2(b) also adds mandatory transfer rules to adult district court for juveniles who have reached their sixteenth birthday and are alleged to have committed specific felonies involving physical force or controlled substances, provided they have a prior conviction for a similar offense. This strips judicial discretion in these specific repeat-offense cases and forces young people into the adult criminal justice system.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill sets clear limits on murder liability for individuals under 18 and creates programs to improve child welfare and juvenile justice collaboration. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The legislation accounts for the age of juvenile offenders and establishes reporting and support services for youths in the federal system. Would students be better off under this? — The grant programs prioritize targeted educational interventions and higher educational attainment for vulnerable youth and dual-status children. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Grants authorized under the CONNECT Act help support vulnerable children and dual-status youth who often come from low-income backgrounds. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Demographic reporting requirements specifically include disability status for incarcerated children and individuals convicted as children.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Section 3 requires the Bureau of Justice Statistics to publish comprehensive annual reviews and analyses of children in the federal system. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — Section 2 provides protections for juveniles by limiting murder liability for minors under 18 to cases involving specific intent. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill mandates federal statistical reporting by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and authorizes HHS grant programs for state collaboration.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this shorten or soften prison sentences? — The bill updates rules regarding the age of juvenile offenders, restricts murder liability for minors without intent, and enhances support and reporting for incarcerated youth. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Section 4 establishes grants to improve collaboration between child welfare and juvenile justice systems to better support vulnerable and dual-status youth.
- 10/29/2026
- Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.