N.Y. General Municipal Law § 121-b: Care of children admitted to certain places of amusement in certain cities, villages and towns under a local law or ordinance

§ 121-b. Care of children admitted to certain places of amusement in

certain cities, villages and towns under a local law or ordinance. 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.