Explanation
This ordinance amends Chapter 2319 of the Columbus City Codes to strengthen and clarify the City’s existing minor curfew provisions; adds a definitions section to ensure the consistent application and enforcement of key terms; establishes a graduated framework of warnings, parental notification, referrals to services, and escalating penalties for repeat curfew violations; and re-frames parental responsibility provisions. To allow time for public engagement and for City departments to coordinate the youth intervention services necessary for effective implementation, the ordinance further provides for delayed enforcement of certain enhanced penalty provisions until January 1, 2027.
In 2025, the City of Columbus experienced multiple incidences involving minors during late-night hours, prompting parents, community members, and City leaders to call for stronger and more consistently enforced curfew requirements. On April 2, 2026, Columbus City Council held a public hearing on juvenile public safety at which City leaders and the Columbus Division of Police identified strengthened curfew enforcement, truancy reduction, and parental responsibility as priorities for reducing youth violence and victimization.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact of this ordinance.
Title
To amend Chapter 2319 of the Columbus City Codes to repeal and replace Sections 2319.30 and 2319.31, to provide technical corrections; to enact new sections to strengthen the provisions and enforcement of Minor’s Curfew and parental responsibility; and to provide for delayed enforcement of certain penalty provisions until January 1, 2027; ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is committed to the safety and well-being of all residents, including the City's youngest residents, at all hours of the day and night; and
WHEREAS, Section 2319.30 of the Columbus City Codes establishes a curfew restricting the presence of minors in public places during certain nighttime hours, in furtherance of the City's longstanding interest in protecting minors and promoting public safety; and
WHEREAS, City Council finds that providing clear definitions and a graduated, structured framework for curfew enforcement - including warnings, parental notification, referrals to services, and escalating responses for repeat violations - will support law enforcement officers in the fair, consistent, and effective application of the City's curfew laws; and
WHEREAS, City Council has heard from residents, parents, community organizations, and City departments regarding the importance of clear, consistent, and effectively enforced curfew requirements as part of a comprehensive approach to public safety; and
WHEREAS, City Council recognizes that strong, consistently enforced curfew requirements, paired with parental accountability and access to community resources, help support families, reduce opportunities for victimization, and foster safer neighborhoods throughout the City; and
WHEREAS, City Council finds that a brief period of delayed enforcement for certain enhanced penalty provisions is appropriate to provide notice to the public and to allow City departments time to coordinate the resources and services necessary to support effective implementation of this ordinance; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That sections 2319.30 and 2319.31 of the Columbus City Codes are hereby replaced to read as follows:
2319.30- Minor's curfew.
(A) No minor under the age of thirteen (13) years shall knowingly remain in or upon the public streets, other public places, places of amusement and entertainment, vacant lots or other unsupervised places during the period from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. of the following day, official city time.
(B) No minor between the ages of thirteen (13)- seventeen (17) years of age shall knowingly remain in or upon the public streets, other public places, places of amusement and entertainment, vacant lots or other unsupervised places, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day, official city time.
(C) The provisions of this section do not apply to a minor who is:
(1) Accompanied by the minor's parents, guardian, or other adult person having the care, custody and control of the minor;
(2) Upon an emergency errand or legitimate business directed by the minor's parents, guardian, or other adult person having the care, custody, and control of the minor;
(3) A member of the United States Military;
(4) A registered full-time student at a business school or institution of higher learning;
(5) Involved in an emergency;
(6) Engaged in a lawful employment activity, or while going directly to or returning directly from the minor’s home and lawful place of employment. This exception shall also apply if the minor is in a public place during the curfew hours in the course of the minor’s lawful employment. To come within this exception the minor must be carrying written evidence of employment that is issued by the employer;
(7) Returning home by a direct route from (and within thirty (30) minutes of the termination of) a school activity or an activity of a religious or other voluntary association, or a place of public entertainment, such as a movie, play, or sporting event. This exception does not apply between the hours of 1:00 a.m.- 6:00 a.m.;
(8) Exercising First Amendment rights protected by the United States Constitution, such as the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, and right of assembly. A minor shall show evidence of the good faith of the exercise and provide notice to the city officials by first delivering to the appropriate law enforcement authority a written communication, signed by the minor, with the minor’s home address and phone number, addressed to the Mayor specifying when, where and in what manner the minor will be on the streets at night during the hours when the curfew is still otherwise applicable to the minor in the exercise of a First Amendment right specified in the communication.
2319.31 - Minor's Curfew Penalty and Enforcement.
(A) Whoever violates section 2319.30 is guilty of committing a curfew violation.
(B) In the case of first instance of a minor being suspected of violating this section, the encountering officers shall:
(1) Issue a warning and notify the parent, guardian, or other adult person having the care, custody, or control of the minor;
(2) Ask the parent, guardian, or other adult person having the care, custody, or control of the minor to pick the minor up from the location of the officer and the minor, if a parent, guardian, or other adult person having the care, custody, or control of the minor is unable to pick them up, the officer shall transport the minor home, if the officer is unable to take the minor home, the officer shall take them to a nonsecure care facility to be determined pending release to parent, guardian, or other adult person having the care, custody, or control of the minor; and.
(3) Refer the minor and/or their family to resources and other services
(C) In the case of a second instance of a minor being found violating this section, the minor is guilty of a minor misdemeanor, and in addition to any other penalties the court may consider, the court shall:
(1) Coordinate a meeting with a parent, guardian, or other adult person having the care, custody of control of the minor; and
(2) Consider referral to a juvenile diversion program
(D) In the case of a second or subsequent violation, the minor is guilty of a third degree misdemeanor, the court, in addition to any other penalty available under law, shall impose the following penalties:
(1) Family intervention meeting
(2) Violence intervention assessment; and
(3) Education program or Community service of at least one (1) and no more than two hundred (200) hours.
SECTION 2. That sections 2319.33 and 2319.34 of the Columbus City Codes are hereby enacted to read as follows:
2319.33 - Parental Responsibility.
(A) No person, being the parent, guardian or adult person having the legal care, custody, and control of any minor, shall recklessly permit or by insufficient control allow the minor to violate Section 2319.30 ,
(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of failure to exercise parental responsibility, an unclassified misdemeanor the penalty for which shall be:
(1) Required Educational training/certification program
(2) At least 1 hour and no more than (10) hours of community service; and
(3) A fine of zero ($0.00) to fifty dollars ($50.00).
2319.34 - Severability.
If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of the provisions of this section is for any reason declared by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional, such section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct, and independent provision, and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this section.
SECTION 3. That current Sections 2319.30 and 2319.31 are hereby repealed.
SECTION 4. That enforcement of Sections 2319.30, 2319.31 (A) and (B), and 2319.34 shall take effect at the earliest date allowable by law.
SECTION 5. That enforcement of Sections 2319.31 (C) and (D) and 2319.33 shall be delayed until January 1, 2027 to allow for a period of public education on the new requirements.
SECTION 6. That this Ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.