I moved the Juvenile Curfew Emergency Amendment Act because I believe we have a responsibility to do two things at the same time: invest in our young people and keep them safe. That means expanding opportunities, programs, and support for kids across DC while also giving our local leaders narrowly tailored tools to prevent violence and respond when there are credible safety concerns. The juvenile curfew tool is limited, targeted, and designed to help prevent dangerous situations before they escalate. It authorizes MPD to declare a limited small area in the city as an earlier curfew for large groups of kids if they have intel suggesting violence could occur. Most importantly, these decisions should be handled locally by the people who know DC best - not by a federal government threatening overreach and interference in our city. Washingtonians are capable of governing ourselves, supporting our young people, and keeping our communities safe. My hope is that we can pass our budget investments in kids and pass the juvenile curfew emergency at our next legislative session on June 2nd.
