Overview

• On July 16, the City Council fell four votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to override Mayor Brandon Johnson’s veto, with aldermen voting 28–22 against the snap curfew measure.
• Johnson characterized the ordinance as “counterproductive” in light of declining violent crime and highlighted new investments in youth employment, safe spaces and mental health support.
• Youth organizers from GoodKids MadCity and Communities United celebrated the upheld veto as a defense of civil liberties, warning that spot curfews would disproportionately affect Black and brown teens.
• Alderman Brian Hopkins, the ordinance’s chief sponsor, maintained that accelerated curfew powers were crucial for dispersing unpermitted teen gatherings and suggested he may pursue alternative legislative solutions.
• With the snap curfew off the table, city leaders are expected to focus on expanding community-based safety initiatives and youth engagement programs under the Chicago Police Department’s ongoing reforms.