Louisiana Town Bans Saggy Pants

Louisiana's Terrebonne Parish Council passed an ordinance Wednesday night that will impose fines for anyone who wears pants below the waist in public that expose underwear.

By Jorge Rivas Apr 15, 2013

Louisiana’s Terrebonne Parish Council passed an ordinance Wednesday night that will impose fines for anyone who wears pants below the waist in public that expose underwear or what police and the courts determine to be too much skin.

The Houma Courier describes the penalties for breaking the law:

Under the law, violators would face these fines:

  • $50 for the first offense.
  • $100 for the second offense.
  • $100 and 16 hours of community service for a third offense and subsequent offenses.
  • "Appearing in public view while exposing one’s skin or undergarments below the waist is contrary to safety, health, peace and good order of the parish and the general welfare," the ordinance says.

Jerome Boykin, president of the Terrebonne NAACP, expressed his support for the law.

"There is nothing positive about people wearing saggy pants," Boykin told the Courier. "This is not a black issue, this is not a white issue, this is a people issue."

According to the latest Census data, 68% of Terrebonne residents are white, 19% are black, 5% American Indians, 4% Latino and 1% Asian.