HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 2002-14 ORDINANCE NO. 2002-14
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS,
ESTABLISHING A CURFEW FOR PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 17
YEARS BETWEEN TI� HOURS OF 12:01 A.M. AND 5:00 A.M. ON ANY
DAY OF THE WEEK AND BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 9:00 A.M. AND
2:30 P.M. FOR SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN ON SCHOOL DAYS;
PROVIDING IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON SUBJECT TO A
CURFEW HEREUNDER TO REMAIN IN ANY PUBLIC PLACE OR ON
THE PREMISES OF ANY ESTABLIS��VIENT WITHIN THE CITY OF
FRIENDSWOOD DURING CURFEW HOURS; PROVIDING IT IS
UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF A PERSON
SUBJECT TO A CURFEW HEREUNDER TO KNOWINGLY PERMIT OR,
BY INSUFFICIENT CONTROL, ALLOW SUCH PERSON TO REMAIN IN
ANY PUBLIC PLACE OR ON THE PREMISES OF ANY
ESTABLIS�IMENT WITHIN THE CITY DURING CURFEW HOURS;
PROVIDING IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON OW1vING,
OPERATING, OR IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF ANY ESTABLISHIVIENT
WITHIN TI-� CITY TO KNOWINGLY ALLOW A PERSON SUBJECT TO
THE CURFEW HEREUNDER TO REMAIN ON THE PREMISES OF
SUCH ESTABLIS�IMENT DURING CURFEW HOURS; PROVIDING
DEFENSES TO PROSECUTION FOR VIOLATIONS HEREUNDER;
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; PROVIDING A PENALTY OF AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $500.00 FOR EACH DAY OF VIOLATION
OF ANY PROVISION HEREOF; MAHING CERTAIN FINDINGS;
REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 99-16, PASSED AND APPROVED THE
7TH DAY OF JUNE 1999, AND ALL OTHER ORDINANCES OR PARTS
OF ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT OR IN CONFLICT HEREWITH;
AND PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY.
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WHEREAS, the Ciry Council of the City of Friendswood, Texas ("City"), has
determined that there has been an increase in juvenile violence, juvenile gang activiry, and crime
committed by persons under the age of 17 years within the City; and
WHEREAS, due to their lack of maturity and experience, persons under the age of 17
years are particularly susceptible to participate in unlawful and gang-related activities and to be
victims of older perpetrators of crime; and
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WHEEREAS, the City has an obligation to provide for the protection of minors from each
other and from other persons, for the enforcement of parental control over and responsibiliry for
children, for the protection of the general public, and for the reduction of the incidence of
juvenile violence and criminal activity; and
WHEEREAS, a curfew applicable to persons under the age of 17 years will be in the
interest of public health, safety, and general welfare, and will diminish the undesirable impact of
such conduct on the citizens of the City; now , therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD,
STATE OF TEXAS:
Section 1. The facts and matters set forth in the preamble of this Ordinance are
hereby found to be true and conect.
Section 2. Purpose. It is the express purpose of this Ordinance to (a) deter criminal
conduct involving juveniles, (b) reduce the number of juvenile crime victims, (c) reduce injury
from accidents involving juveniles, (d) reduce the additional time police officers are required to
be in the field due to juvenile crime, (e) provide additional and more effective means and options
for dealing with gang-related violence and crime, (� reduce juvenile peer pressure to stay out late
(g) reduce juvenile peer pressure to participate in violent or criminal activities, and (h) assist
parents in the control of their children.
Section 3. Defuutions. Far purposes of this Ordinance the following words or terms
shall have the meanings ascribed thereto:
A. Curfew Hours shall mean:
l. 12:01 a.m. unti15:00 a.m. on any day of the week; and
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2. 9:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. on any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, or Friday; provided, however, the hours defined in this paragraph 2 shall not be
considered as Curfew Hours for minors not subject to compulsory school attendance pursuant
§21.032, TEXAS EDUCATION CODE, nor shall the hours defined in this paragraph 2 be considered
as Curfew Hours on days or during periods in which the school where the applicable minor is
enrolled have been canceled under the order and direction of officials authorized to issue such
orders and directives.
B. Emergency shall mean any unforeseen combination of circumstances or the
resulting state that calls for immediate action. This term shall include, but not be limited to, a
fire, natural disaster, automobile accident, or any situation requiring immediate action to prevent
Serious Bodily Injury or loss of life.
C. Establishment shall mean any privately-owned place of business operated for a
profit to which the public is invited, including, but not limited to, any place of amusement or
entertainment.
D. Guardian shall mean a person who, under court order, is the Guardian of the
person of a minor or a public or private agency with whom a minor has been placed by a court.
E. Minor shall mean any person under 17 years of age.
F. Operator shall mean any individual, firm, association, partnership, or corporation
operating, managing, or conducting any Establishment. The term includes the members or
partners of an association or partnership and the officers of a corporation.
G. Parent shall mean a person who is a natural Parent, adoptive Parent, or step-
Parent of a Minor, or a person at least 21 years of age who is authorized by the Parent or
Guardian of a Minor to have the care and custody of such Minor.
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H. Police Department shall mean the Friendswood Police Department.
I. Public Place shall mean any place to which the public or a substantial group of the
public has access and shall include, but not be limited to, streets, highways, and the common
areas of schools, hospitals, apartment houses, office buildings, transport facilities, restaurants,
theaters, game rooms, shops, shopping centers or any other place that offers for sale services or
merchandise.
J. Remain shall mean to linger or stay, or fail to leave premises, when requested to
do so by a police officer or the owner, Operator, or other person in control of the premises.
K. Serious Bodilv InjurX shall mean bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of
death or that causes death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of
the function of any bodily member or organ.
Section 4. Offenses.
A. It shall be unlawful for any Minor to knowingly remain, walk, run, or stand, or
operate or ride in any motor vehicle or on any bicycle, in or upon any Public Place or on the
premises of any Establishment within the City during Curfew Hours.
B. It shall be unlawful for the Parent or Guardian of a Minor to knowingly pernut or,
by insufficient control, allow a Minor to remain in or upon any Public Place or on the premises
of any Establishment within the City during Curfew Hours.
C. It shall be unlawful for the owner, Operator, or any employee of an Establishment
to knowingly allow a Minor to remain upon the premises of an Establishment during Curfew
Hours.
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Section 5. Defenses.
A. It shall be a defense to prosecution under Section 4 of this ordinance that the
Minor was:
1. accompanied by the Minor's Parent or Guardian;
2. on an errand at the direction of the Minor's Parent or Guardian;
3. in a motor vehicle involved in interstate travel;
4. engaged in lawful employment activity, going directly to the employment
activity, or returning directly to the Minor's residence from the employment activity;
5. involved in an Emergency;
6. on an errand made necessary by an illness, injury, or Emergency;
7. on the sidewalk or public right-of-way abutting the Minor's permanent
residence;
8. attending a school, religious, government-sponsored, or other civic activiry
supervised by adults and sponsored by an educational, religious, or governmental
institution, civic organization, or other similar entiry, or traveling directly to or returning
from any such school, religious, governmental, or civic activity.
9. engaged in, participating in, or traveling to or from, any event, function,
or activity for which the application of Section 4 of this Ordinance would contravene the
Minor's rights protected by the United States Constitution, including, but not limited to,
First Amendment rights such as the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, or the
right of assembly; or
10. married or had been married or had disabilities of Minority removed in
accordance with Chapter 31 of the TE�s F�iLY CoDE.
B. It is a defense to prosecution under Section 4C that the owner, Operator, or
employee of an Establishment promptly notified the Police Department that a Minor was present
on the premises of the Establishment during Curfew Hours and the Minor refused to leave.
C. It is a defense to prosecution under Section 4 of this Ordinance that the Minor had
been directed by his or her Parent or Guardian to engage in a specific activity or to carry out
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expressed instructions, during the time that the Minor is actually engaged in fulfilling those
directions or responsibilities.
Section 6. Enforcement. Before taking any enforcement action under this Ordinance,
a police officer shall ask the apparent offender's age and reason for being in the Public Place or
Establishment. The officer shall not issue a citation or make an arrest under this Ordinance
unless the officer reasonably believes that an offense has occurred and that, based on any
response or other circumstance, no defense in Section 5 is present.
Section 7. Penalties.
A. A person who violates any provision of this Ordinance shall be deemed guilry of a
misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined in an amount not to exceed $500.00. Each day
of violation shall constitute a separate offense.
B. When required by Section 51.08 of the TE�s F�rLY CoDE, as amended, the
municipal court shall waive original jurisdiction over a Minor who violates Section 4A of this
Ordinance and shall refer the Minor to the juvenile court.
Section 8. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect on the thirty-first (31st)
day following the date of adoption hereof.
Section 9. Repeal. City of Friendswood, Texas, Ordinance No. 99-16, passed and
approved the 7th day of June 1999, and all other ordinances or parts or ordinances inconsistent
or in conflict herewith are, to the extent of such inconsistency or conflict, hereby repealed.
Section 10. Severabilitv. In the event any clause phrase, provision, sentence, or part
of this Ordinance or the application of the same to any person or circumstances shall for any
reason be adjudged invalid or held unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, it shall
not affect, impair, or invalidate this Ordinance as a whole or any part of provision hereof other
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than the part declared to be invalid or unconstitutional; and the City Council of the City of
Friendswood, declares that it would have passed each and every part thus declared to be invalid
or unconstitutional, whether there be one or more parts.
PASSED AND APPROVE on first reading this lst day of Julv , 2002.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED on second and final reading this lsth day
of JulY , 2002.
CITY OF FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS
�
Harold L. Whitaker
Mayor
ATTEST
� �
,
Deloris McKenzie, TRM
City Secretary
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