Atlanta curfew: City Council committee approves tightening penalties for parents

ATLANTA - Parents could have to attend workshops in Atlanta if their teens under the age of 16 miss curfew, should a new curfew proposal pass.

The Atlanta City Council members behind this new proposal consider it an act of love and hope that the new plan will help lower youth crime.

"Little girls aren’t exempt from Atlanta's violence anymore," council member Antonio Lewis said.

Lewis says 16-year-old Bre'Asia Powell’s shooting death after a graduation party was the last straw.

Bre’Asia Powell (Supplied)

That’s why he’s worked with council member Keisha Waites for the latest version of a change to Atlanta’s curfew.

They both acknowledge police staffing shortages were behind a lack of enforcement of the current 11 p.m. curfew, but a new proposal will make it clear: Atlanta leaders say parents should know where their kids are, especially at night.

"Typically if caught breaking curfew. There was a penalty, parents could spend 90 days in jail and face a fine up to $1,000," he explained. This new proposal eliminates those consequences. 

Waites has wanted an updated curfew for months.

"The proposal in November was as a result of the loss of Zyion and Cameron," she said of two young boys gunned down at Atlantic Station. "That original legislation I asked for 7 p.m. curfew. Many people aren’t aware we have an existing city on the books for 11 p.m."

(From left to right: Zyion Charles, Cameron Jackson) (FOX 5 Atlanta)

Monday night, the committee unanimously approved the proposal, which still would include exemptions for work-related, sports, and extracurricular activities.

Other big changes would be parent accountability through required classes should your child break curfew and access to jobs for kids as young as 14.

The thought is if they’re busy, young people won’t have time to get into trouble.

Monday is a federal holiday, Juneteenth, so the full council could vote on this as soon as next Tuesday.