Florida residents may now sag their pants with ease following news that a 13-year-old law has been repealed. In 2007, Opa-locka made headlines after officials passed a controversial ordinance outlawing pants sagging. Those who were found in violation of the law were subject to arrest and-or fines up to $500, and throughout the years, there have been "Sagging Protests" as residents rejected the order. In 2009, a 17-year-old was arrested and held in jail overnight, causing many in Florida to sag their pants in defiance. A 2013 addition to the original law made sure to include that women were also subject to punishments.
Multiple reports now state that the Opa-locka, Florida City Council has overturned the ordinance in a 4-1 vote. There are a few more legal steps before the ordinance is officially tossed out, but residents are happy that this is no longer hanging over their heads. The commissioner who voted to keep the law in place reported.y stated that he believed the ordinance was to "uplift" young Black men. Others saw it as a law that specifically targeted the Black community considering that "sagging," which began in the prison system, became popular due to hip hop culture.
“I was never in support of it, even as a resident,” Vice-Mayor Chris Davis told the Miami Herald. “I felt it disproportionately affected a certain segment of our population, which is young, African American men.”
[via]
