Abilene, TX Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- Abilene Code of Ordinances § 20-9
- Restricted zone
- 1,000 feet from any secondary school boundary
- Restricted hours
- 7:00-8:30 a.m. and 2:30-4:30 p.m. school days
- Applies to
- Persons twenty years of age and under
- Penalty
- Class C misdemeanor, fine up to $200
- Adopted
- Ordinance No. 50-1989, December 21, 1989
Summary
Abilene Code of Ordinances Sec. 20-9 makes it a Class C misdemeanor for anyone twenty years old or younger to congregate, gather, linger or assemble within 1,000 feet of any secondary school's property line during arrival and dismissal windows. The ban covers public streets, alleys, and private property entered without the owner's consent, running 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on official school days.
It shall be unlawful for any persons twenty (20) years of age and under to congregate, gather, linger or otherwise assemble, whether on foot or in vehicles on private property, without permission of the owner thereof, and in public streets and alleyways, within one thousand (1,000) feet from the property boundary line of any lot used for secondary school purposes within the City limits on official school days between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., and between the hours of 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., official City time. It shall be a defense to prosecution under this section that such congregation, gathering, or assembly is sponsored and supervised by school personnel or such persons age twenty (20) years and under are accompanied by their parents, guardians, or other adults responsible for such persons subject to this curfew. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a Class C misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars ($200.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Section 20-9 of the Abilene Code of Ordinances, adopted by Ordinance No. for afternoon dismissal. The prohibited zone extends 1,000 feet outward from the property boundary of any lot used for secondary school purposes anywhere inside the Abilene city limits, and it reaches both public streets and alleyways and private property where the owner has not given permission, whether the person is on foot or in a vehicle. The rule applies only to persons twenty years of age or younger, distinguishing it from Abilene's separate general curfew provisions.
Two built-in defenses keep the ordinance from sweeping in ordinary supervised activity: the gathering is not unlawful if it is sponsored and supervised by school personnel, or if the young people involved are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult. Abilene Police officers patrolling school zones enforce the section, which sits in Chapter 20, Article I, alongside the City's other offenses-against-public-order provisions dating to the 1965 Code. Violators are prosecuted in Abilene Municipal Court rather than through school discipline, and the statute caps punishment at the low end of the Class C misdemeanor range.
Violations & Fines
A violation is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $200.00, or the maximum the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure sets for that offense class if it changes. Each instance of congregating during a prohibited window is charged separately, and Abilene Municipal Court, not the school district, hears the case. Officers may also detain and identify anyone found violating the section near a campus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the loitering ban apply to adults near an Abilene school?
What if a group is walking home from school within the zone?
Which Abilene schools trigger the 1,000-foot zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Abilene
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