Title
[Pass for Publication] An Ordinance Deleting Section 9.12.010 of the Sacramento City Code Relating to a Prohibition on the Distribution of Certain Comic Books to Minors
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FileID
File ID: 2026-00392
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: 1) Review an Ordinance deleting Sacramento City Code section 9.12.010, relating to a prohibition on the distribution of certain comic books to minors; and 2) pass for publication the Ordinance title per Sacramento Charter section 32(c) for consideration on February 3, 2026.
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Contact
Contact: David Gull, Chief of Staff, (916) 808-7004, district4@cityofsacramento.org, Office of Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum, District 4; Evan Cragin, Operations Director, (916) 808-7005, district5@cityofsacramento.org, Office of Councilmember Caity Maple, District 5; Ryan Meyerhoff, Senior Deputy City Attorney, (916) 808-5346, rmeyerhoff@cityofsacramento.org, Office of the City Attorney
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Presenter
Presenter: None
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Ordinance (Clean)
3-Ordinance (Redline)
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: Sacramento City Code section 9.12.010, originally adopted in 1949, prohibits the sale, gifting, and other distribution of comic books to minors if the comics both (i) prominently feature crime, and (ii) depict, among other things, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, kidnapping, mayhem, robbery, or theft. In effect, City Code currently prohibits the sale or gifting of significant quantities of popular comics to minors.
Recognizing that comics are an influential and celebrated art form, including among minors where they may encourage lifelong literacy, it is appropriate to delete section 9.12.010 to allow comics to be distributed to minors.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: A similar law in Los Angeles County was found unconstitutional by the California Supreme Court in Katzev v. Los Angeles Cnty., 52 Cal. 2d 360 (1959).
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations: Not applicable.
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Sustainability
Sustainability: Not applicable.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: This topic was discussed by the Law and Legislation Committee on November 18, 2025, and the Committee passed a motion directing an Ordinance be prepared and presented to the City Council for consideration without further review by the Committee.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: The proposed ordinance deletes an antiquated provision of the City Code in alignment with public policy.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
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