New Stricter Teen Curfew Approved

After weeks of wrangling over changes to the curfew law, Birmingham’s City Council has finally come to an agreement.  The argument was whether the proposed curfew changes were too harsh.  Several of the council members weeks arguing that the $500 fine for a first curfew violation was too high.  But Tuesday night council members voted to pass a new stricter curfew ordinance.  Members even making it more strict than the mayor’s original proposal.  The new curfew will prohibit teens 17 and younger from being out past 9:00 p.m during the week instead of 10:00 p.m. as the mayor suggested.  The hours would be extended to 11:00 p.m. on weekwnds and holidays instead of the original midnight.  And first-time violators would still face a $500 fine.  The curfew debate started last month, after a nightclub shooting at Banana’s Joes Club in Southside.  Four people were shot, two died.  The suspect is 16 years old.  The new curfew ordinance and penalties, which include possible jail time and hard labor for parents for a third offense, will go into effect on October 1st, 2008.