The Council of the District of Columbia voted Tuesday to extend a citywide youth curfew permanently, but tabled a separate measure that would have allowed the restrictions to take effect immediately, leaving enforcement in the near term uncertain.
In an initial vote, council members advanced a bill to make the curfew permanent, setting an 11 p.m. citywide curfew for minors and allowing police to impose earlier restrictions in designated zones where large gatherings, dubbed “teen takeovers,” have led to violence or disorder.
The legislation still requires a second vote and congressional review before becoming law, and by holding off on approving emergency legislation that would implement a curfew right away, there could be a gap in enforcement when the emergency youth curfew order expires May 1.
The final vote was 8-5, with mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George, Zachary Parker, Robert White, Trayon White, and Brianne Nadeau voting “no.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser has deemed a youth curfew necessary for public safety and said she is pleased with the council’s decision to move forward on a permanent curfew, but added their decision to let the emergency measure expire could lead to unsafe circumstances.
“While I am pleased that the Council advanced the permanent juvenile curfew legislation, their continued inaction on extending the juvenile curfew through the spring and summer leaves our city without a critical tool for keeping our neighborhoods safe and free from disorderly behavior,” Bowser wrote on social media. “Doing nothing is not an option. The community is expecting their government — and we have a responsibility to our residents, businesses, and young people — to take action.”
The debate follows months of tension over how the city should respond to the large youth gatherings in areas such as Navy Yard and U Street that have at times escalated into violence. City leaders first implemented expanded curfews last year, repeatedly extending them on a temporary basis as incidents continued.
The temporary measure lapsed earlier this month after the council failed to reach an agreement on an emergency extension.
Bowser responded by declaring a public emergency and imposing a short-term curfew, warning that the city needed immediate tools to manage teenagers as summer approaches.
BY THE NUMBERS: HOW MANY SEATS HAS EACH PARTY GAINED IN REDISTRICTING?
However, Bowser’s emergency order only keeps the curfew in place until May 1.
The council is set to take a second vote on a permanent youth curfew on May 5, which will then still require congressional review. At that time, council members could revisit a summer curfew to hold over enforcement until a permanent measure is in place.
