At a Special City Council Meeting held Thursday, March 27, 2020, the city council passed an expansion of the Juvenile Curfew Ordinance. The curfew for juveniles will now start at 9 PM and end at 7 AM Monday – Sunday starting last night at 9 PM. The previous time parameters were 11 PM – 6 AM.
The City of Winnfield Code of Ordinances
Article V. Curfew for Juveniles
Sec. 14-101 (a) states: any person under the age of 17 may not remain in a public place or on the premises of an establishment between the hours of 9 PM and 7 AM Monday through Sunday.
(b) A custodian may not permit or by insufficient control allow a juvenile under the custodian’s care or custody to violate this section.
(c) A person, firm or corporation operating or in charge of a place of amusement, entertainment, refreshment or other business which caters to or permits the presence of minors in its normal course of operation may not permit any juvenile at or on his or its premises to violate this section.
Sec. 14-104 (a) states: A custodian or other person, other than a juvenile, found in violation shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the city court and shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) or sentenced to not more than sixty (60) days in jail or both. For appropriate cases, the court may suspend the fine and the sentence and, as a condition of such suspension order or require the performance of up to sixty (60) hours of community service. As part of or in lieu of any other penalty that may be imposed under this section, a custodian may be required by the court to obtain counseling or to attend classes or programs to improve parenting and child rearing skills.
(b) A juvenile violating this article, his/her custodian(s), or any other member of his/her family may be subject of a complaint under Title VII of the Children’s Code (Families in Need of Services) and subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
In a press conference following the Special City Council Meeting Mayor, George Moss announced that the City of Winnfield has officially declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19. According to Moss, the declaration was necessary to qualify for federal assistance.