FORNEY, Texas — The Forney City Council, earlier this month, approved 3-1 a new curfew ordinance for those 16 years old and under.
In passing the ordinance, the Forney Police Department will be required to track and report the first year's contacts and enforcement measures.
The curfew officially went into effect on November 15, 2018. The effective hours for the curfew within the city limits of Forney are from 12 midnight to 6 a.m., each night.
According to the Forney Police Department, a minor cannot be charged with a curfew violation if one of these defenses is the reason, they are out during curfew hours:
- Minor is accompanied by parent or guardian
- Minor is on an errand at the direction of the minor’s parent or guardian, without any detour or stop
- Is in a motor vehicle involved in interstate travel
- Is engaged in an employment activity, or going to or returning home from an employment activity, without any detour or stop
- Is involved in an emergency
- Is on the sidewalk abutting the minor’s residence or abutting the residence of a next-door neighbor
- Is attending an official school, religious, or other recreational activity supervised by adults
- Is married or had been married or has disabilities of minority removed in accordance with Chapter 31 of the Family Code
- Is exercising First Amendment rights protected by the United States Constitution.
"The Forney Police Department will ensure that when a minor is contacted by officers during curfew hours that the minor was not out due to one of the previous reasons listed above before issuing a curfew citation," stated the Forney Police Department. "Additionally, officers are required to contact a parent or guardian to release the minor to after the contact."
