Overview
- The ordinance would let Police Supt. Larry Snelling declare a location-specific curfew of up to four hours for planned mass gatherings, with at least 12 hours’ public notice.
- It defines mass gatherings as 20 or more people likely to pose risks to safety or property and expressly bars any immediate, on-the-spot snap curfew.
- Before issuing a curfew, Snelling would consult Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Garien Gatewood and rely on evidence such as social media posts, flyers or recurring event history.
- Police would give 10 minutes of verbal warnings before enforcement, minors who remain could face up to $250 in fines or community service, parents may be cited, and exemptions cover work, emergencies, school, religious events and First Amendment activity.
- Introduced Wednesday and sent to the Rules Committee, the measure faces likely resistance from Mayor Brandon Johnson after his June veto of a broader curfew plan, and it would need 34 votes to withstand another veto; a separate proposal seeks fines up to $50,000 for platforms that refuse to remove notices of unlawful teen gatherings.