City of Fort Worth to let teen curfew expire in February
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – The Fort Worth teen curfew ordinance that has been in place for nearly 30 years will expire on Feb 13, 2023 according to a statement from Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker.
Parker went on to say that any potential action by the city council "could be premature and possibly temporary."
This is because a bill has been filed in the state legislature that would repeal the authority of cities to adopt or enforce teen curfews. Texas House Bill SB 603, filed by Sen. Bryan Hughes [R], would repeal the authority of cities to adopt or enforce teen curfews.
A community meeting scheduled for Feb. 1 regarding the matter has been postponed.
She continued to say "fellow Councilmembers and I have heard from many residents through our deliberations on whether or not to renew the City of Fort Worth's teen curfew ordinance. Listening to the voices of our residents is important, as is hearing and learning about other factors when considering such a policy decision. We can all agree the number one priority is keeping Fort Worth's youth safe."
Under the current ordinance, minors are not allowed to be in any public place after 11 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday, and after 12:01 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. There are exceptions for work, emergencies, errands for parents or attending supervised activities.
A city report shows police filed citations 29 times in 2022, with a majority of citations issued in the northside of the city.
