“Saggy Pants” Bill Headed to a Summer Study Committee

Fashion-conscious youth now have an extra six months to walk around with low-slung, “saggy” pants, after a bill targeting the wearer got sent to a summer study committee Tuesday.

The bill would have made it a crime to wear your pants below your waist.

Memphis Representative Joe Towns complained that a last minute opinion from the state Attorney General’s office stopped the bill. The opinion says the measure is unconstitutionally vague. Towns says that is foolish.

“What they’re grappling over is what and where is your waistline. Well any chimpanzee knows where your waistline is.”

Opponents had argued that the style is used mainly by urban youth and would allow police to stop and harass young black men.

Before the bill was sidelined, it was altered to reduce the fine, allow police to let the offender off with a warning – if he pulled up his pants – and would have allowed the police to take “a second look” to determine if the law was being violated.

WEB EXTRA
The bill is HB 2099 Towns/ SB 1757 Ophelia Ford.

The AG’s opinion that called into question the constitutionality of the measure is Opinion No. 09-73.

Towns, who has previously called the measure an “anti-crack” law, was straightforward about his aim in proposing the measure.

“But it was never about the waistline. It was about the butt being displayed in public.”