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4d ago

Chicago Snap Curfew Proposal Delayed for Legal Review and Refinements

City Council committee postpones vote on controversial ordinance granting police and mayoral powers to impose immediate curfews on teen gatherings.

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Ald. Bill Conway, 34th, is flanked by Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, and Ald. Silvana Tabares, 23rd, as they talk during a meeting of City Council’s Public Safety Committee, April 30, 2025. The committee advanced a proposal to give Chicago’s top public safety leaders the power to declare “snap curfews” in an effort to curb so-called “teen takeovers.” (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
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Overview

  • The Public Safety Committee deferred a vote on the snap curfew ordinance after a five-hour debate, citing constitutional concerns and the need for further review.
  • The revised proposal would allow the police superintendent and deputy mayor to jointly impose three-hour curfews with 30 minutes' notice to disperse gatherings of 20 or more people.
  • Legal and civil rights groups, including the ACLU, argue the ordinance is overly broad, risks violating First Amendment rights, and could lead to costly legal challenges.
  • Mayor Brandon Johnson opposes criminalizing youth but has not committed to vetoing the measure, while aldermen supporting the ordinance aim to finalize it before summer.
  • The ordinance includes exceptions for First Amendment-protected activities, but critics question its efficacy and the feasibility of notifying teens in real-time about curfews.