Sacramento City Council to repeal ordinance banning comic sales to children
The ordinance was originally aimed at comics prominently featuring crime.
AND TOOK OFF. THE VICTIM IS EXPECTED TO SURVIVE. WELL HAPPENING TODAY, THE SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL IS SET TO ERASE AN ORDINANCE THAT MAKES IT ILLEGAL TO SELL COMIC BOOKS TO CHILDREN. SO, KCRA 3’S LETICIA ORDAZ JOINING US NOW LIVE IN STUDIO WITH MORE DETAILS ON THE VOTE EXPECTED TODAY. TEO. GOOD MORNING. THIS IS REALLY A LONG TIME IN COMING. THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE IN SACRAMENTO PASSED IN 1949, AND SUPPORTERS OF LIFTING THE BAN SAY COMICS ARE AN INFLUENTIAL AND CELEBRATED ART FORM AND ENCOURAGE LIFELONG LITERACY. THAT SACRAMENTO CITY PROHIBITION PASSED 77 YEARS AGO AND WAS MOSTLY AIMED AT COMICS, PROMINENTLY FEATURING CRIME LIKE BURGLARIES, ROBBERIES AND ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON. BUT CRITICS HAVE ARGUED THAT IT ESSENTIALLY MEANS BANNING THE SALE OF ALL COMICS, SINCE MOST DEPICT HEROES STOPPING CRIMINALS. TECHNICALLY, IT HASN’T BEEN ENFORCED, BUT UNTIL THE LAW IS DELETED, LIBRARIES, BOOKSTORES, AND COMIC CONS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DISTRIBUTING COMICS TO MINORS. CITY OFFICIALS NOW AGREE IT’S APPROPRIATE TO GET RID OF THE OLD CITY CODE AND ALLOW COMICS TO BE DISTRIBUT
Sacramento City Council to repeal ordinance banning comic sales to children
The ordinance was originally aimed at comics prominently featuring crime.
Updated: 7:01 AM PST Feb 3, 2026
The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday is set to formally repeal a 1949 ordinance that made it illegal to sell comics to children. The ordinance was originally aimed at comics prominently featuring crime. However, because most comics feature superheroes fighting crime, the ordinance essentially applies to most comics. With the ordinance in place, libraries, bookstores, and even comic conventions were technically distributing comics to kids illegally. However, the prohibition has not been enforced.Council members unanimously approved on Jan. 27 to vote on Tuesday to repeal the ban. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday is set to formally repeal a 1949 ordinance that made it illegal to sell comics to children.
The ordinance was originally aimed at comics prominently featuring crime. However, because most comics feature superheroes fighting crime, the ordinance essentially applies to most comics.
With the ordinance in place, libraries, bookstores, and even comic conventions were technically distributing comics to kids illegally. However, the prohibition has not been enforced.
Council members unanimously approved on Jan. 27 to vote on Tuesday to repeal the ban.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel