Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse emphasized the commonality of jaywalking, stating, "How many people in the room can tell me they never jaywalked? None of you." This highlights the bill's focus on normalizing the act rather than criminalizing it.
The bill's supporters argue that enforcing jaywalking laws has resulted in a disproportionate impact on communities of color, with reports indicating that 77% of jaywalking tickets issued this year were to Black or Hispanic individuals.
Despite concerns about potential consequences for pedestrian safety, advocates assert that criminalizing jaywalking does not necessarily create a safer urban environment, questioning the effectiveness of current enforcement practices.
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