Speakers testifying Tuesday at a hearing over Montgomery County’s first youth curfew said the new measure should not be passed as written by County Executive Ike Leggett. Advocates of the bill –such as Police Chief Thomas Manger and representatives of the Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce, Montgomery County Civic Federation and Safe Silver Spring — cited a need to slow gang violence and keep the county’s youth safe.
Critics — such as Maryland Del. Kirill Reznik, D-Germantown/Derwood, Montgomery County Board of Education student member Alan Xie, and representatives of the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Youth Rights Association and the American Civil Liberties Union — said the bill would infringe upon the rights of youth and parents, hurt local businesses, and waste the county’s limited resources.
| Also in Montgomery |
| The Montgomery County Council voted down proposed changes to unions’ collective bargaining process. |
| The two bills before the council would have opened up the collective bargaining process to public opinion in a way that union representatives have argued would take away the unions’ negotiating ability. As proposed, one bill would have created a public impasse arbitration hearing presided over by a panel of arbiters, and the other would have required both the union and the county executive’s office to reveal their initial positions on major economic issues. – Rachel Baye |
But all agreed that the law — the county’s first youth curfew — should not be passed as written.
“We’re far from a perfect bill,” said Council President Valerie Ervin, D-Silver Spring.
As written, the curfew prohibits youth under age 18 from being in a public place without a parent Sunday to Thursday from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. and Friday and Saturday nights from midnight to 5 a.m. It would fine parents who allow their children to violate the law, as well as business owners who allow youth to congregate in their businesses after curfew. Youth who violate the curfew could face community service requirements, fines or even jail time.
Though the law allows for exceptions — such as work, school-related functions and emergencies — some suggested adding an “entertainment” clause, permitting youth to attend sporting events, concerts and movies that end late at night.
Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce President Jane Redicker recommended starting the curfew at midnight every day during the summer, like the District of Columbia’s curfew law.
Safe Silver Spring Vice Chairman Woody Brosnan suggested restricting the curfew to youth under age 17, like those in Prince George’s County and the District.
In response to critics’ concerns that curfew violations could amount to a blemish on good teens’ otherwise flawless records — hurting their college and job applications — Manger told The Washington Examiner he would prefer to make curfew violations civil offenses, rather than criminal.
He said youth would not violate the curfew by simply being out in public, but if they refused to go home. Police wouldn’t tell all youth to go home, but rather those who seem to be causing trouble, he said.
“We want good kids to be able to engage in healthy activities,” he told council members.
