Public Safety & Regulatory Code
Public-order, licensing, transit, fire-safety, and other regulatory offenses.Every charge below uses the same title, classification, fine, jail value, citation status, and legal description as the generated MDT SQL.
Regulatory Charging Guide
Regulatory violations should remain proportional. A licensing, transit, fire-code, or public-order issue is not elevated to a felony unless a separate statute expressly requires the additional dangerous or criminal conduct.Quick Reference
§4 — Refusal to Pay Fare (First Offense)
Infraction · Fine: $250 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible A passenger commits Refusal to Pay Fare (First Offense) when, after knowingly accepting transportation for an agreed or ordinarily charged fare, they willfully refuse to pay the amount lawfully owed at the completion of the trip.Charging & stacking: A genuine dispute over the amount or quality of service is not enough without proof of willful nonpayment.
§5 — Refusal to Pay Fare (Second Offense)
Class C Misdemeanor · Fine: $500 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible · Community Service: 10 tasks A passenger commits Refusal to Pay Fare (Second Offense) when, after a prior qualifying offense, they again knowingly accept transportation for an agreed or ordinarily charged fare and willfully refuse to pay the amount lawfully owed at the completion of the trip.Charging & stacking: This repeat offense remains cite-and-release eligible absent another lawful reason for custody.
§9 — Illegal Gambling
Class C Misdemeanor · Fine: $500 · Jail: 5 months · Cite & Release: Eligible · Community Service: 10 tasks A person commits Illegal Gambling when they knowingly operate or participate in gambling prohibited by state law outside an authorized gaming venue, or knowingly permit an underage person to gamble where age restrictions apply.Charging & stacking: Social games without unlawful wagering or games conducted in an authorized casino are excluded.
§54 — Leaving without Paying
Infraction · Fine: $250 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible A person who exits or departs from a billed premises, such as a restaurant, bar, hotel, gas station, or other business, without paying the full amount owed for goods or services received, is guilty under this code section.Charging & stacking: Use Petty Theft or Fraud instead when evidence shows an intent to obtain goods or services without payment from the outset rather than a minor failure to settle a bill.
§88 — Unlicensed Professional Practice
Class B Misdemeanor · Fine: $1,500 · Jail: 15 months · Cite & Release: No · Community Service: 15 tasks A person who knowingly performs or attempts to perform medical or professional procedures without the required license or legal authorization is guilty under this code section.Charging & stacking: Use applicable assault, fraud, or homicide offenses when unlicensed practice independently causes harm or involves deception satisfying those separate elements.
§89 — Misuse of Emergency Systems
Class C Misdemeanor · Fine: $500 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible · Community Service: 10 tasks A person who misuses an emergency response system, such as 911, panic alarms, or emergency call buttons, to create false alarms or waste police, EMS, or fire resources is guilty under this code section.Charging & stacking: Accidental calls, good-faith emergency reports, and mistakes are not criminal misuse.
§96 — Disorderly Conduct
Class C Misdemeanor · Fine: $250 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible · Community Service: 10 tasks A person commits Disorderly Conduct when, in a public place or in a manner affecting the public, they knowingly engage in fighting, tumultuous conduct, unreasonable disruption, or other conduct creating a genuine breach of the peace.Charging & stacking: Mere offensive language, criticism, or peaceful expression is insufficient without additional disruptive conduct.
§97 — Disturbing the Peace
Infraction · Fine: $150 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible A person commits Disturbing the Peace when they unreasonably create excessive noise or a comparable public disturbance after warning or under circumstances where the disturbance materially interferes with the peace and quiet of others.Charging & stacking: Use Disorderly Conduct when fighting or tumultuous conduct is the primary behavior.
§132 — Public Intoxication
Class C Misdemeanor · Fine: $250 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible · Community Service: 10 tasks A person who is under the influence of alcohol or narcotics in a public place, and who disturbs the natural expectation of peace or endangers themselves or others, is guilty under this code section.Charging & stacking: Public intoxication requires actual disturbance, inability to care for personal safety, or danger to others; mere consumption or intoxication in public is insufficient.
§133 — Public Indecency
Class C Misdemeanor · Fine: $500 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible · Community Service: 10 tasks A person commits Public Indecency when, in a public place or where they are reasonably visible to nonconsenting persons, they intentionally expose intimate parts or engage in overtly lewd conduct under circumstances where the exposure or conduct is reasonably likely to alarm or offend.Charging & stacking: Ordinary clothing choices, accidental exposure, breastfeeding, medical necessity, and conduct occurring in a private setting are not offenses under this section.
§134 — Unlawful Production of Moonshine
Class B Misdemeanor · Fine: $1,000 · Jail: 10 months · Cite & Release: No · Community Service: 15 tasks The act of manufacturing, distilling, or fermenting alcoholic beverages, such as moonshine, without proper licensing or permits as required by law.Charging & stacking: Small-scale personal brewing authorized by law is excluded; the offense requires unlicensed production prohibited by state regulation.
§135 — Possession or Distribution of Illegal Moonshine
Class C Misdemeanor · Fine: $500 · Jail: 5 months · Cite & Release: Eligible · Community Service: 10 tasks The act of possessing, transporting, or distributing unlicensed alcoholic beverages, such as moonshine, with the intent to sell or consume.Charging & stacking: Use Sale or Distribution offenses when the conduct independently involves controlled substances or other contraband.
§136 — Prostitution
Class B Misdemeanor · Fine: $750 · Jail: 10 months · Cite & Release: No · Community Service: 15 tasks The act of offering, agreeing to engage in, or engaging in sexual conduct in exchange for money, goods, services, or other forms of compensation is guilty under this code section.Charging & stacking: The offense requires a knowing agreement to exchange sexual conduct for compensation; ordinary social or dating activity is insufficient.
§195 — Commercial Building Fire Safety Code
Infraction · Fine: $2,500 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible A commercial property responsible party commits Commercial Building Fire Safety Code violation when, after reasonable notice or an applicable inspection requirement, the premises lacks fire-safety equipment or unobstructed emergency egress required by state regulation.Charging & stacking: This is a regulatory offense. Criminal charges such as Reckless Endangerment may apply only when additional facts establish the separate elements of those offenses.
§196 — Selling Improper/Illegitimate Fire Prevention Resources
Class B Misdemeanor · Fine: $1,500 · Jail: 15 months · Cite & Release: No · Community Service: 15 tasks It shall be illegal, for any person to sell fire prevention devices that are expired or are nonfunctional.Charging & stacking: The seller must know or reasonably should know the device is expired, nonfunctional, counterfeit, or falsely represented as compliant fire-safety equipment.
§197 — Tampering/Vandalizing Fire Equipment
Class C Felony · Fine: $3,000 · Jail: 30 months · Cite & Release: No It shall be illegal for any person to tamper with, or to vandalize any:Fire Extinguisher
Smoke Detection System
Carbon Monoxide Detection System
Water Sprinkler System
Fire Hydrant, Fire Supply Connection, Water Riser
Fire Hose
Fire Engine, Fire Truck, Ambulance, Fire/Rescue Response Vehicle
Charging & stacking: Minor accidental damage is insufficient; intentional tampering, disabling, or vandalism of emergency or fire-protection equipment is required.
§198 — Smoking on a Public Transit Vehicle
Infraction · Fine: $250 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible No passenger shall smoke or carry a lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, match, lighter, or other ignited item on any tram, bus, or light rail passenger car.§199 — Intoxication on a Public Transit Vehicle
Class C Misdemeanor · Fine: $500 · Jail: 5 months · Cite & Release: Eligible · Community Service: 10 tasks No person shall violate Public Intoxication statutes while on a bus, tram, or light rail passenger car.Charging & stacking: Use ordinary Public Intoxication when the conduct occurs off transit; do not stack both for the same uninterrupted behavior on transit.
§200 — Usage of a Train/Tram without Permission
Infraction · Fine: $225 · Jail: 0 months · Cite & Release: Eligible When a person boards or attempts to use a train or tram after being denied access or without having a valid ticket.Related Penal Code Resources
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