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US: North Myrtle Beach considers laser pointer ordinance (UPDATED - Ordinance passed)

Due to increasing laser pointer harassment and misuse, the city council of North Myrtle Beach, S.C. drafted a laser pointer ordinance at its September 19 2011 meeting. It would ban sales and possession of lasers by minors, and would prohibit pointing at a moving vehicle, person or animal. A fine of up to $500 and 30 days in jail is proposed. The city will first hold an ordinance workshop. A vote would come later.

The city has received more than 100 complaints about laser misuse. A spokesperson for the city said “We've had many complaints this past summer about people, mostly people under 18, shining the green laser into the condominiums, into hotel rooms … at people on the beach, at animals, and even at turtles. When they were hatching, they would shine them on the small turtles and lead them away from the ocean.”

(Note: the city of North Myrtle Beach is separate from its neighbor Myrtle Beach which has enacted restrictions on pointers.)

From CarolinaLive-WPDE and WMBFnews.com

UPDATE November 28 2011: The ordinance passed its second reading and now will officially go on the books in North Myrtle Beach. From North Myrtle Beach Times and CarolinaLive.