Alabama city may ban ‘sagging’ pants due to ‘indecent exposure’ problems

TALLADEGA, Ala. — After receiving complaints from several residents, Talladega’s city council is seriously considering an ordinance banning the practice known as ‘sagging.’

City Councilman Donnie Miller tried to propose a similar ban on low-riding pants seven years ago, around the same time Atlanta, Georgia, examined the idea. “We took a serious look at the proposal that was put up by Atlanta a while back,” Miller told Yellowhammer Tuesday afternoon. “We decided to hold up when they ran into legal issues and wanted to be on solid legal footing.”

Miller believes that now is as good a time as any to tackle the issue as more cities are getting involved. “Some people might have a problem with it because it may be seen as a freedom of speech issue or human rights,” Miller stated, “But what we really have is an indecent exposure issue.”

Since the failure of Atlanta’s ordinance, many other cities have tried and succeeded in passing such measures. In 2011, the city of Hampton, Georgia, expanded their disorderly conduct statute to include sagging. First-time violators face a $50 fine and those who break the law multiple times could be hit with up to a $200 fine. The statute applies to anyone wearing pants, shorts, or skirts more than three inches below the hips—exposing skin or underwear.

Other Alabama municipal efforts have not been so successful as their Georgia counterparts. In 2011, Mobile’s Council attempted to pass a ban but fell one vote short. A year later, the Alabama House of Representatives considered outlawing sagging, though the law would have only applied to Montgomery County. The bill, which threatened those who sag with fines of up to $150, died like its Mobile predecessor.

Despite the seeming inability elsewhere in the state to pass such laws, the Talladega council is optimistic that such an ordinance can and will pass.

According to Miller, who believes that something can get done sometime in the next 3 to 6 months, the legal issues have been handed over to the city attorneys to research and the council is also awaiting a new city manager to help with administration.