Philadelphia's New Summer Curfew For Minors In Effect Until End Of September
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- There is a new curfew law for teenagers in Philadelphia. Starting Thursday, teens 16 and older will now have to be home by 10 p.m. instead of midnight.
Fourteen- and 15-year-olds will remain on a 10 p.m. curfew and anyone 13 and younger will have to be home by 9:30 p.m.
The modified curfew will last through Sept. 29.
City councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson, who introduced the bill in early June, says it will help keep young people safe.
"We are in a state of emergency in the City of Philadelphia, and no one is suffering more than our young people. Residents are asking us to do more, and the updated curfew will help keep more young people safe," Gilmore Richardson said in a release.
Meanwhile, two community evening resource centers are open from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. every night as a safe space for young people.
"These are safe spaces we have created for young people to connect with mentorship, career training, homework help, and more. We have to use every tool in our toolbox to protect our young people during the most violent time of the year," Gilmore Richardson said. "This is a public safety prevention mechanism for our young people not only getting them off the street but providing them with resources in the community."
The center will provide a ride home for teens and Philadelphia police will enforce the curfew, reuniting teens with their family or bringing them to the centers.
Two more community resource centers are expected to be opened by the end of August.
CBS3's Ryan Hughes contributed to this story.
