HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution - 2022-R0409 - Continue Juvenile Curfew OrdinanceResolution No. 2022-RO409
Item No. 6.1
September 27, 2022
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Section 370.002 of the Texas Local Government Code and Section
14.03.038 of the Lubbock Code of Ordinances requires the City of Lubbock to review its
juvenile curfew ordinance every third year prior to October 30, the day of initial passage
of such ordinance; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is required to review the ordinance's effects on the
community and on the problems the ordinance was intended to remedy, conduct public
hearings on the ordinance, and either abolish, take action to continue, or modify the
ordinance as it sees fit; NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF "THE CITY OF LUBBOCK:
SECTION 1. THAT the City Council of the City of Lubbock, having reviewed the
City's juvenile curfew ordinance and program, and having conducted public hearings as
required by Section 370.002 of the Texas Local Government Code and Section 14.03.038
of the Lubbock Code of Ordinances, finds that the City of Lubbock Juvenile Curfew
Ordinance shall be [ ] abolished [ X] continued [ ] modified. (Check only one.)
SECTION 2. THAT the Police Chief is hereby authorized and directed to take
whatever actions are necessary to comply with the City Council's decision expressed
herein with regard to the City of Lubbock's juvenile curfew ordinance and program.
First public hearing conducted on: September 13 _ , 2022
Second public hearing conducted on:
Passed by the City Council on
ATTEST:
-P�
Rebekca Garza, City Se ret y
APPR;VD AS TO CONTENT:
Pei
oyd Mitch .- Police Chief
September 27 2022.
September 27 2022.
TRAY PAYNE, OR
Resolution No. 2022-RO409
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE
TITLE 11. PUBLIC SAFETY
SUBTITLE C. PUBLIC SAFETY PROVISIONS APPLYING TO MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 370. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS RELATING TO MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY HEALTH AND
PUBLIC SAFETY
Sec. 370.002. REVIEW OF JUVENILE CURFEW ORDER OR ORDINANCE.
(a) Before the third anniversary of the date of adoption of a juvenile curfew ordinance
by a general -law municipality or a home -rule municipality or an order of a county
commissioners court, and every third year thereafter, the governing body of the
general -law municipality or home -rule municipality or the commissioners court of the
county shall:
(1) review the ordinance or order's effects on the community and on problems the
ordinance or order was intended to remedy;
(2) conduct public hearings on the need to continue the ordinance or order; and
(3) abolish, continue, or modify the ordinance or order.
(b) Failure to act in accordance with Subsections (a) (1)-(3) shall cause the ordinance or
order to expire.
Added by Acts 1995, 741h Leg., ch. 262, Sec. 96, eff. May 31, 1995.
Sec. 370.003. MUNICIPAL OR COUNTY POLICY REGARDING ENFORCEMENT OF DRUG LAWS. The
governing body of a municipality, the commissioners court of a county, or a sheriff, municipal
police department, municipal attorney, county attorney, district attorney, or criminal district
attorney may not adopt a policy under which the entity will not fully enforce laws relating to
drugs, including chapters 481 and 483, Health and Safety code, and federal law.
Added by Acts 1997, 75`h Leg., ch. 971, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Article 14.03 Minors
Division 2. Curfew
Sec.14.03.031 Established
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person sixteen (16) or less years of age to be or remain in or
upon any public place or in or upon any establishment within the city between the hours of
11:OOp.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day, official city time, except that on Fridays and
Saturdays and nights next preceding school holidays (not including summer vacation) the
hours shall be from 12:00 midnight to 6:00 a.m.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person aged six (6) to sixteen (16) years of age, inclusive, to be or
remain in or upon any public place or in or upon any establishment within the city between
the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on a school day.
(1983 Code, sec, 18-47; Ordinance 2004-00114, sec. 1, adopted 10/11/2004; Ordinance
2012-00084, sec. 1, adopted 8/23/2012)
Sec.14.03.032 Exceptions
(a) Numerous exceptions will be provided in this section to indicate that this is not a mere
prohibitory or presence type curfew ordinance. More exceptions become available to
juveniles with increasing years and advancing maturity as appropriate in the interest of
reasonable regulation. In the following exceptional cases a juvenile in or upon any public
place or in and upon an establishment shall not be deemed in violation of this division. This
section is intended as a clear general guide for juveniles, their parents and enforcement
officials:
(1) When the juvenile is accompanied by his parent, legal guardian or authorized adult
supervisor.
(2) When exercising First Amendment rights protected by the United States
Constitution, such as the free exercise of religion, freedom or speech and the rights
of assembly whether parade or demonstration, has been permitted by the city
pursuant to article 20.10 of this code, or other bona fide religious, social or school
activities involving the right to assemble.
(3) When engaged in performing an errand or other legitimate business at the direction
of a parent, guardian or supervisory adult, including travel to and from such location
by a direct route.
(4) When the juvenile is on the sidewalk at the place where such juvenile resides, or on
the sidewalk of either next -door neighbor, when said neighbor does not object to
such presence.
(5) When the juvenile is engaged in employment activities, such as, but not restricted
to, newspaper delivery.
(b) All of the above cited exceptions to this division include travel to and from such activity by a
direct route, and this division is in no way to be construed as a limitation upon normal travel
by a juvenile engaged in interstate movement.
(c) Each of the foregoing exceptions is severable and in addition other possible exceptions may
be added hereto in the future as warranted by experience as illuminated by the views of
student government associations, school personnel, citizens, neighborhood spokesmen,
parents, officers and persons in authority concerned positively with minors as well as
juvenile delinquency.
(d) With respect to section 14.03.031(b) of this division, it shall bean exception that the
offense occurred during a scheduled school vacation or holiday observed by the school in
which the juvenile is enrolled, or that the juvenile has graduated from high school or
received a high school equivalency certificate; or that the juvenile has been emancipated by
law; or that the juvenile has permission to be absent from school or to be in a public place
from a school official, which in the case of a child being educated in a home school includes
[a Parent.]
(1983 Code, sec. 18-48, Ordinance 2004, 00114, sec. 1, adopted 10/11/2004; Ordinance
2012-00084, sec, 1, adopted 8/23/2012)
Sec. 14.03.033 Parental responsibility
It shall be unlawful for a parent knowingly to permit or by insufficient control to allow a juvenile
in his or her care to be or remain in any public place or to be or remain in any establishment
other than for excepted activities during the curfew hours established by this division. The term
"knowingly" includes knowledge that a parent should reasonably be expected to have
concerning the whereabouts of a juvenile in such parent's custody. It shall be prima facie
evidence of violation of this section if a responsible parent has no knowledge of the juvenile's
whereabouts during the hours of curfew established by this division. The purpose of this section
is to require neglectful or careless parents to meet the community standard of parental
responsibility.
(1983 Code, sec. 18-49; Ordinance 2004-00114, sec. 1, adopted 10/11/2004; Ordinance 2012-
00084, sec. 1, adopted 8/23/2012)
Sec. 14.03.034 Establishment owner's responsibility
It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of a business establishment to allow a juvenile to
remain upon such business premises during the hours of curfew established in this division
beyond the time necessary to conduct an excepted activity. It shall be no defense to this section
that a juvenile made a purchase, if the juvenile did not immediately make such purchase upon
arrival and depart immediately thereafter. It shall be a defense to prosecution under this
section that the owner or operator of such business establishment has promptly notified the
Lubbock Police Department that juveniles present on the premises after hours have refused to
depart.
(1983 Code, sec. 18-50; Ordinance 2004-00114, sec. 1, adopted 10/11/2004; Ordinance 2012-
00084, sec. 1, adopted 8/23/2012)
Sec.14.03.035 Police procedures
(a) A city police officer, upon finding or having his or her attention call to any juvenile in or on a
public place or in or on the premises of a business establishment in prima facie violation of
this division, may take the juvenile into custody. Such juvenile may be transported to a
juvenile curfew processing office designated by the police chief. Upon arrival at the juvenile
curfew processing office, a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult shall be
immediately notified to pick up such juvenile at the juvenile curfew processing office. A
police officer taking a juvenile into custody shall also have discretion to release such juvenile
to a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult under circumstances deemed
appropriate by the officer. A police officer also may issue a warning notice to the juvenile in
accordance with section 52.01 of the Texas Family Code and order such juvenile to go
directly and promptly to his or her home. Delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need
for supervision under sections 51.03 and 52.01 of the Texas Family Code shall be handled in
accordance with applicable provisions of the Family Code pertaining to such conduct, and
juveniles in prima facie violation of such provisions may not be taken to the city's curfew
processing facility.
(b) Upon picking up a juvenile in custody, said parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult
may be questioned about the circumstances of such activity by the juvenile. This is intended
to permit ascertainment, under constitutional safeguards, of relevant facts, and to centralize
responsibility for accurate, effective, fair, impartial and uniform enforcement and recording,
thus making available experienced supervisory personnel, the best of facilities, and, if
required, referral to social agencies equipped to handle family problems that may be
disclosed by investigation. In the absence of convincing identification, a police officer on the
street may use his or her best judgement in determining age. Police procedures shall be
constanly refined in the light of experience, and changes herein may a made on the basis of
such experience.
(c) In any event, a police officer shall within twenty-four (24) hours file a written report on the
juvenile incident or shall participate to the extent possible in the preparation and filing of
such a report by his supervisor.
(d) When a parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult has come to take charge of a
juvenile and the appropriate information has been received, the juvenile shall be released to
the custody of the parent, legal guardian or other responsible adult. If a parent, legal
guardian or other responsible adult cannot be located or fails to take charge of the juvenile,
then the juvenile shall be released to appropriate authorities. However, the police
department shall have the discretion to refuse to release a juvenile to an adult other than
the parent or legal guardian of the juvenile.
(e) A juvenile may not be held at the juvenile curfew processing office for more than six (6)
hours. During such time, the following procedures shall be observed:
(1) The office must be an unlocked, multipurpose area that is not designated, set
aside, or used as a secure detention area or part of a secure detention area;
(2) The juvenile may not be secured physically to a cuffing rail, chair, desk, or
stationary object;
(3) The juvnile may not be held longer than necessary to accomplish the purpose of
identification, investigation, processing, release to parents, guardians or
custodians and arrangement of transportation to school or court;
(4) The office may not be designated or intended for residential purposes; and
(5) The juvenile must be under continuous visual supervision by a peace officer or
other person during the time the juvenile is in the juvenile curfew processing
office.
(1983 Code, sec. 18-51; Ordinance 2004-00114, sec, 1, adopted 10/11/2004; Ordinance 2012-
00084, sec, 1, adopted 8/23/2012)
Sec.14.03.036 Penalties
Prevailing community standards as reflected by this division require the availability of criminal
penalties in order for this division to be viable instrument for the maintenance of such
standards. Consequently, violation of this division by a juvenile, parent or business
establishment owner or operator, shall be deemed a misdemeanor punishable in accordance
with section 1.01.004 of this code,
(1983 Code, sec. 18-52; Ordinance 2004-00114, sec, 1, adopted 10/11/2004; Ordinance 2012-
00084, sec. 1, adopted 8/23/2012)
Sec.14.03.037 Severability
Severability is intended throughout and within this division. If any provision, including any
section, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase or word or the application thereof to any person or
circumstance is held invalid, the application to other persons or under other circumstances shall
not be affected thereby and the validity of the division in any and all other respects shall not be
affected thereby. It is intended that this division be held inapplicable in any case if such exists,
where its application would be unconstitutional. A constitutional construction hereof is
intended and shall be given. There is no intent herein to violate either the Texas Constitution or
the Constitution of the United States of America.
(1983 Code, sec. 18-53; Ordinance 2004-00114, sec. 1, adopted 10/11/2004; Ordinance 2012-
00084, sec. 1, adopted 8/23/2012)
Sec. 14.03.038 Continuing evaluation
Ordinance 2004-00114, which is codified as this division, shall be reviewed every third year prior
to October 30 of such year as required by section 370.002 of the Local Government Code. The
first review shall be conducted no later than October 30, 2007, and every third year thereafter.
Such review shall be conducted following a public hearing upon the need to continue this
division, and the city council shall have the option to continue, abolish or modify this division
based upon their review of this division's effects on the community and on the problems this
division is intended to remedy.
(1983 Code, sec. 18-54; Ordinance 2004-00114, sec. 1, adopted 10/11/2004; Ordinance 2012-
00084, sec. 1, adopted 8/23/2012)