Bill proposes arcade security, curfew for unsupervised children

Tuesday, March 23, 1999 | 12:41 p.m.

SB513 comes almost two years after 7-year-old Sherrice Iverson was raped and murdered in the early morning hours at a southern Nevada casino. The girl had been unsupervised in a casino arcade before Jeremy Strohmeyer began a deadly game of hide-and-seek with her.

SB513, introduced by and referred Monday to the Judiciary Committee, would be enforced all year, with the hours changing during the summer season.

Children under 18 would need a guardian or parent with them between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays and midnight to 5 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays from Labor Day to Memorial Day.

The curfew would stay at midnight to 5 a.m. each day from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Exemptions would be made for children who are employed and are within 30 minutes of leaving or starting a shift and have a signed voucher saying so.

Children whose parents are staying at a property or those who are returning from certain activities also would be exempt until 1 a.m.

Violations would be classified as misdemeanors, both for children and for parents who knowingly let their children violate the curfews.

The bill also would require game room and arcade operators to post signs advising of the curfew hours and penalties. A fine of up to $500 could be imposed for any violations.