A proposed Montgomery County Youth curfew was shoved under the table Tuesday when the Montgomery County Council voted not to vote.

The curfew was a hot topic around the county for months, after County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) proposed the legislation in response to July gang violence in Silver Spring. Under Leggett's proposal, children 17 and younger would be prohibited from being in any public place or establishment starting at 11 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends.

There were multiple exceptions to the bill that would allow minors to stay in public spaces outside of curfew times. For example, minors would be exempt from the curfew when returning home from work or school, or if accompanied by a parent or guardian. If a minor chose to exercise First Amendment rights and cited that reason to police, i.e. protesting the curfew, he or she would also be exempt from the curfew.

Detractors of the curfew voiced concerns of ageism and racism, while proponents supported it as a tool for police officers to fight crime.

Members of the county council had voiced their positions as well: Craig Rice (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown, Nancy Floreen (D-At Large) of Garrett Park and Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring indicated their support of the curfew with amendments. Marc Elrich (D-At Large) of Takoma Park also offered an amendment to the original bill. 

Phil Andrews (D-Dist 3) of Gaithersburg was most convinced the curfew was unnecessary, while new Council President Roger Berliner (D-Dist 1) of Potomac, Nancy Navarro (D-Dist. 4) of Silver Spring, George Leventhal (D-At Large) of Takoma Park and Hans Riemer (D-At Large) of Silver Spring expressed doubt that the curfew was the right action at this time.

In the legislation’s final worksession Tuesday, the council voted 6 to 3 to table the vote. Ervin, Rice and Floreen opposed the motion.

Hours after the decision, Leggett release a statement chastising the Montgomery County Council for failing to vote.

“The county council’s refusal to even take a yes or no vote on the proposed youth curfew is a failure of leadership," Leggett said. “Leadership means stepping up to the plate and deciding — yes or no — on critical issues that face our county. The youth curfew legislation has been before the county council since July. It has been discussed exhaustively. We don’t need more talk — we need action.”

What do you think? Should the council have taken a stronger approach to the curfew? Or do you think tabling the vote was the right decision?