Philadelphia's curfew for residents under 18 could be permanent
The measure now heads to Mayor Jim Kenney for approval.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia's curfew for people under 18 may soon be permanent.
On Thursday, City Council voted 15-1 to keep the curfew at 10 p.m. for youngsters under 18.
Children 13 and younger must be home by 9:30 p.m., according to the bill.
The city enforced the rule over the summer, aiming to keep young people safe from the gun violence crisis.
The measure now heads to Mayor Jim Kenney for approval.
Councilwoman Katherine Gilmore Richardson proposed the original bill.
"This will be year-round no matter what day of the week -- whether it's weekends, summer time, school time. It's a year-round permanent curfew for minors in the city of Philadelphia," said Gilmore Richardson.
If minors violate the curfew, Philadelphia Police Department officers will attempt to reunite children with their families.
If that is not possible, officers either take the children to one of two community evening resource centers or take them back to the police station to try to reunite them with their families there.
The bill does provide exceptions for the teens if there are legitimate reasons which include work and errands. There's also leeway for those who are with a guardian.
Some who are opposed to the idea say the summer curfew did little to curb crime involving teens, specifically gun violence.
But city officials say hundreds of kids were taken home or to the resource centers during that time, and you can't quantify how many of them were potentially saved from potential harm.
