Bill > PR26-0381

This emergency resolution declares a need to amend the District of Columbia's Juvenile Curfew Act in response to increasing youth-related safety concerns. The resolution highlights a rise in problematic behavior by unaccompanied youth since 2023, including large group gatherings that have resulted in fights, robberies, assaults, and shootings in areas like the Wharf, Navy Yard, and U Street. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) found that temporary juvenile curfew zones during summer months were successful in preventing youth gatherings and reducing incidents of violence. With the previous emergency curfew legislation having expired on October 5, 2025, the city has experienced renewed instances of youth gatherings leading to criminal activities. The resolution seeks to provide MPD with enhanced flexibility to establish extended juvenile curfew hours and zones, lower the curfew start time to 11 p.m. daily, and extend the curfew's applicability to 17-year-olds. The primary goal is to proactively prevent youth-related safety incidents and protect both young people and the public, acknowledging that current enforcement tools are limited. The Council determines these circumstances constitute an emergency requiring immediate action, and the resolution is to take effect immediately upon passage.

https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/PR26-0381