Jeannette's new curfew ordinance goes into effect Sept. 18

Jeannette’s new curfew ordinance will be enforceable starting Sept. 18 after council updated fines Thursday, solicitor Tim Witt said. The update passed unanimously.

The city’s revised curfew ordinance carries fines ranging from $25 to $300 for violations. The fines could be assessed to a minor or parent.

The ordinance, which last had been reviewed in 1943, was brought up this summer after police said they encountered issues with children being out late. The curfew for children 17 and younger is 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The 1943 law called for a $10 fine for children and a $25 penalty for adults who permit the child to break curfew.

During a meeting in July, a council majority decided to put on hold an initial proposal that called for much heftier fines of up to $1,000. About a dozen people spoke out against the ordinance during that meeting.

A revised version of the ordinance was given an initial OK by council in August.

Community service is an example of a supportive service that a child may be subject to if found in violation of the curfew. There are exceptions to the curfew, such as if a minor is accompanied by a parent or involved in an emergency, at a neighbor’s home with permission, attending a public, school or religious event or going to or from work, among other things.