Birmingham is cracking down on parents and kids. DANG.

"Tough new curfew rules for Birmingham youth - including stiff fines and potential jail time for parents - were approved Tuesdayby the City Council.

The rules, which tighten the hours that youths can be away from home and slap on $500 fines for each offense, go into effect Oct. 1.

The council passed the ordinance 8-1, with Councilman Roderick Royal the lone no vote. 
The action came nearly a month after changes were proposed by Mayor Larry Langford following a July 5 shooting outside the now-closed Banana Joe's night club on the city's Southside. Two people died, and a teenager is charged with capital murder.

After several hours of discussion Tuesday, including an hour-long work session, the council's final version is tougher than Langford's proposal, reducing the hours children are allowed to be away from home.

The council changed the proposed curfews of midnight on weekends and 10 p.m. weekdays to 11 p.m. on holidays and weekends and 9 on weeknights.

Council members said they would also ask school officials to begin ballgames and after-school events earlier so students can get home on time.

Parents will be held liable for their children's violations, with a $500 fine for the first offense. Repeat offenses will carry a mandatory appearance in court and, for three or more offenses within a year, the possibility of up to six months in jail.

The ordinance also would allow a judge to sentence a parent to doing "hard labor" for public works.

The council was originally divided on the issue of imposing $500 fines for the first offense.

"You can do a rolling stop at a stop sign at any city in America and not get a ticket," Royal said after the meeting. "To impose one of the highest fines that the city can place on a first offense seems too punitive to me and counterproductive."

Langford argued that the rules needed to be tough to ensure they would be followed. The current curfew is meaningless because it carries few penalties, he said. The current ordinance was limited to a warning on the first offense and $25 fines for additional offenses.

"The more you water this down the more unenforceable it is," Langford said.

Councilman Steven Hoyt, who had joined Royal and Valerie Abbott in opposing the $500 fines, said he changed his mind after understanding a judge would have the final authority to determine punishment.

"Discretion is always going to be up to the judge whether we have it in writing or not," Hoyt said.

Langford said the October start date gives the city enough time to publicize the tougher rules and let parents and children know what's expected.

News staff writer Toraine Norris contributed to this report. jbryant@bhamnews.com "