Overview
- The City Council’s Public Safety Committee is set to vote Wednesday on Ald. Brian Hopkins’ proposal for location- and time-specific curfews.
- Hopkins says he has the committee votes and contends the mayor effectively used a targeted curfew strategy on New Year’s Eve.
- The revised measure requires at least 12 hours’ public notice, caps any order at four hours, and authorizes police to disperse gatherings of 20 or more deemed likely to cause substantial harm.
- Mayor Brandon Johnson points to strict enforcement of the existing 10 p.m. curfew and expanded deployments on New Year’s Eve as proof new powers are unnecessary.
- A companion ordinance from Ald. William Hall would force social media companies to remove or explain posts about unlawful teen gatherings or face fines up to $50,000, with the full City Council outcome still unclear.