Section 121-B. Care of children admitted to certain places of amusement in certain cities, villages and towns under a local law or ordinance  


Latest version.
  • The  board  of  aldermen,  common council or other legislative body of a city
      having a population of less than one million, or of any village or  town
      may  adopt  a  local law or ordinance, subject to the provisions of this
      section, for the licensing of theatres in such city or village or  town,
      wherein there shall be exhibited those films which have been licensed by
      the education department of the state of New York to admit children over
      the age of eight years and under the age of sixteen years, unaccompanied
      by a parent or guardian or other adult person.
        No  child  under  the  age  of  sixteen years shall be admitted to any
      theatre unaccompanied by a  parent,  guardian  or  other  adult  person,
      unless  such theatre is licensed pursuant to and complies with the terms
      of a local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to this section.  Any  such
      local  law  or  ordinance,  and  every  license issued thereunder, shall
      require:
        1. That seats shall be provided on the main or orchestra floor by  the
      owner,   operator  or  management  of  such  theatre  for  use  by  such
      unaccompanied children. No unaccompanied children shall be permitted  in
      any balcony or box.
        2.  A  seat in such section of the theatre shall be provided for every
      such child admitted to the theatre.
        3. Such children shall not be admitted to such theatre during the time
      when their school classes within the city or  village  or  town  are  in
      session,  or  after  the  hour  of  six o'clock in the evening, provided
      however, that for children aged thirteen, fourteen and fifteen  a  later
      hour  in  the  evening for admission and the hour at which such children
      shall be required to leave the theatre may be provided for by such local
      law or ordinance.
        4. A matron  or  supervisor  and  such  other  assistants  as  may  be
      specified  in  such  local  law  or  ordinance shall be provided by such
      owner, operator or management of such theatre  for  the  supervision  of
      such  children,  who  shall give undivided attention to such supervision
      during the time such children shall be in such theatre. Such  matron  or
      supervisor  shall  be  licensed  by such city or village or town and the
      license fee, not exceeding two dollars, shall be  paid  by  such  owner,
      operator or management of such theatre.
        Such   local  law  or  ordinance  may  provide  other  and  additional
      conditions or limitations in regard to the care of children so admitted,
      but such conditions or limitations  shall  not  require  any  additional
      approval  of and shall not prohibit the exhibition of any motion picture
      film duly licensed by the board of education of the state of New York.
        Such local law or ordinance may provide for  the  enforcement  thereof
      and may prescribe penalties for violations thereof or of licenses issued
      thereunder.
        The  admission  of a child between eight and sixteen years of age to a
      theatre licensed under authority of a local  law  or  ordinance  adopted
      pursuant  to the provisions of this section, where such theatre complies
      with the terms of this section and of the license, shall not be deemed a
      violation of the provisions of section 260.20 of the penal law.