Long Beach is one step closer to being able to press criminal charges against disruptive patrons who refuse to leave local libraries — a problem that’s been magnified by the city’s housing and mental health crisis.
The City Council voted 8-0 Tuesday as part of a second procedural step to move the law to Mayor Rex Richardson’s desk. It will go into effect if he signs it, something he’s signaled he will do.
The law gives teeth to the Long Beach Public Library system’s code of conduct, which prohibits behaviors ranging from sleeping on library furniture and making loud noises to bringing drugs or weapons into libraries.
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Depending on how the severity of the infraction, patrons can be banned from the library for up to a year if they violate these rules, but, until now, there have been few options available to enforce that ban.
Under the new law, people who refuse to abide by a ban can be charged with a misdemeanor that would be punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and six months in jail.
Long Beach officials decided they needed a better mechanism to enforce the code of conduct after a series of incidents with mentally ill individuals caused library staff to fear for their safety and — in some cases — forced the city to temporarily shut down facilities like the recently constructed, $48-million Billie Jean King Main Library in Downtown.
The ordinance has endured some criticism because it could be used to criminalize people who return to the library after being temporarily banned for things like bringing in too many personal belongings or not properly managing their hygiene.
“I understand the concern that this ordinance might be used to deny services to unhoused members of our community,” John McGinnis, a board member of the Long Beach Public Libary Foundation told the City Council Tuesday. But, he added, “It’s not about limiting folks from using libraries, it’s about providing access to everyone free of fear for their safety.”
Long Beach’s City Prosecutor Doug Haubert, who handles misdemeanor cases in the city, also came out in support of the measure.
He pledged that prosecutors in his office would carefully vet each opportunity to file charges.
“This ordinance will not be used to prosecute people experiencing homelessness or others without good cause,” he wrote in a statement urging the City Council to pass the law.
Even though he anticipated rarely using the law, Haubert said it was needed to make sure real problems can be handled when they arise and bad actors can be punished when they prevent other people from using the library.
“Our libraries belong to everyone, and unless we have basic rules that protect all users (and our librarians), they cannot be enjoyed by everyone,” he wrote.