IL- Belleville approves new Halloween ordinance

For all restrictions: This is plain crazy, people are not pawns to be manipulated at the whim of lawmakers, folks have rights, here many are being denied constitutional rights.

10-21-2008 Illinois:

BELLEVILLE -- This Halloween, new trick-or-treating rules will be in place in Belleville regarding curfews, age limits and sex offenders.

The City Council on Monday unanimously passed an ordinance that:

• Designates trick-or-treating hours as 5 to 8:30 p.m.

• Limits trick-or-treating to children in eighth grade and lower, unless they are special-needs children accompanied by a parent or guardian. Parents should accompany all children.

• Restricts to Halloween the wearing of masks or other disguises in public by people older than age 12.

• Bans child sex offenders from Halloween parties or events where children not theirs own are present. This includes turning off exterior lights between 4 and 11 p.m. and not handing out candy to children.

An existing state law already mandates that sex offenders can't hand out candy on Halloween. Belleville Police Chief William Clay the new ordinance enhances that law.

Mayor Mark Eckert has said he wants sexual predators to know they're not welcome in Belleville.

Despite the new ordinance, Clay warns parents not to assume their children are safe. He said parents still should keep track of whom their children come into contact with on Halloween.

Regarding the new age limit, city leaders have said they decided to make the change because they were receiving increasing numbers of complaints from older residents who were scared on Halloween when teenagers rang their doorbells late at night.

Ward 5 Alderman Randy Hoercher, who has a 16-year-old son that was upset about the age-limit changes, said he thinks it's for the best.

"This is a fun day for the kids, and that's the way it should be," Hoercher said.

Clay said police will handle age and curfew violations with a "warn and release" method, though parents could have to pay a $25 fine. ..News Source.. by LAURA GIRRESCH - News-Democra0