Tuesday marks a crucial day for the future of D.C. youth curfew zones.
D.C. councilmembers are set to make two important votes: one to determine whether authority to implement youth curfew zones will be made permanent for the Metropolitan Police Department chief and another emergency extension of the curfews for 90 days.
The vote comes a week after Mayor Muriel Bowser issued an emergency order extending the chief’s authority after the council delayed a vote.
Youth gatherings are typically promoted on social media, resulting in hundreds of young people showing up. Sometimes, the gatherings become violent.
Bowser’s extension of authority will expire May 1 if not made permanent by the council.
“I’m confident that the permanent version will have a majority vote and will be approved at first reading,” D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson said.
Mendelson says he’s confident there are seven votes on the council to approve the permanent extension of authority. However, emergency legislation for the 90-day curfew extension requires nine votes to pass — and the councilman says he’s not sure if there’s enough for that to happen.
“I think I would characterize it this way, that there’s a minority of members, there are members that’s a minority of the council, who are concerned that, and this may not be their phrasing, that we are criminalizing our juveniles just being together and being outside,” Mendelson said.
Because permanent legislation requires a second vote and congressional approval, the approval wouldn’t take effect until next fall.
So. if the council doesn’t approve the emergency legislation that would extend the curfews, they will once again expire, just before the summer.
But there’s another twist: Mendelson said he expects councilmembers to offer changes to D.C. law.
Councilmember Doni Crawford is proposing an amendment that would require the mayor’s office to provide “positive youth programming” during curfew hours, offering a safe alternative for young people to gather.
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