ATLANTA — Council members voted to keep Atlanta’s citywide curfew the same but change the penalties on Tuesday afternoon.
As it stands, the City’s curfew is 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weeknights and midnight to 6 a.m. on the weekends.
The ordinance, which the council passed with a 12-1 vote, changes the penalties attached to the curfew. It takes away the $1,000 fine and jail time and instead added required participation in an educational program for the parents. The child is encouraged to attend the program, as well.
“If I see a kid outside after 11 p.m., the police or whoever sees them the first time, we stop them and say, ‘Hey, here's a note. Call your mom. You have one hour and 30 minutes to get home,’” said Councilmember Antonio Lewis.
Lewis explained the next time the child is seen, the program is mandated for the parents.
“We're not locking folks up. Not fining, but similar to any stipulation in which a person has to attend a class, you've got to come be a part of this because we want to lock people into a different type of way of thinking,” said Lewis.
A resolution also passed, on second reading, that councilmembers Antonio Lewis and Keisha Sean Waites said goes hand-in-hand with the passed ordinance.
It encourages parents to know where their kids are at night, even before the curfew comes into play.
“It is from 9 p.m. during the weekdays,” said Waites. “On the weekends, it is 10 p.m. It mirrors the ordinance, but it is urging parents to pretty much be accountable with respect to their children.”
City leaders, including the mayor, have discussed potential changes to the curfew for months now.
“Our group concerns about what happens with our youth are weighing heavy on this decision,” said Mayor Andre Dickens. “Do we create these mechanisms that are over-policing young folks when we’re really trying to show them that they have opportunities and creating more police and youth interactions which could lead to challenges? But also, the other thing is, we don’t want kids hanging out at 1 o’clock in the morning with nowhere to go.”
Waites also addressed people who feel the changes to the curfew are too strict.
“For any person who feels that this is an overreach -- you have never buried a child,” said Waites. “I can assure you that there are exceptions in this legislation for individuals who are working, for individuals who are involved in athletic activities or religious activities or emancipated unsheltered teenagers.”
Council members said this is just the start of the discussion.
“This is the beginning of the conversation. And what goes away and what we're hoping is that you know, through this partnership and through these two pieces of policy that will save one life,” said Waites.
Waites said she expects to see more changes come in the future.