FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –
August 25, 2026
**PRESSRELEASE**
Council Repeals Los Angeles’ Outdated Ban on Playing Ball in the Street
Blumenfield leads effort to finally strike nearly century-old law from the books
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council today voted to repeal Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 56.16, ending a nearly century-old law that makes it a crime to ‘play ball’ on public streets and sidewalks.
Councilmember Bob Blumenfield led the effort to repeal the law, which dates back at least to 1945 and carries penalties of up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine. The law makes it a crime for a parent to play catch with their child on the sidewalk or for kids to kick a soccer ball on a quiet residential street. The Council unanimously voted to move the repeal forward, and today took the final step to remove it from the books.
“Today, we finally put an end to this ridiculous law,” said Councilmember Blumenfield. “In an era when traffic violence is a real threat, we should focus on dangerous and reckless drivers—not children playing soccer or families playing catch. We should make our neighborhoods safer by making drivers more responsible, not by criminalizing kids being kids.”
In addition, Blumenfield said the repeal is also an example of why cities should regularly review laws and remove provisions that are outdated or no longer enforced. “This law outlived its purpose decades ago. Today, we did the common-sense thing: we repealed it. Now grab your glove and go play catch.”
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