Rob Salinas/Houston Public Media

In a significant blow to a booming scooter rental industry, the Houston City Council on Wednesday enacted a curfew on "micromobility devices" from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. across the city.

"This has been a challenge in the downtown area for some time," said council member Joaquin Martinez, who represents the area. "We’ve seen a lot of joyriding in downtown when it comes to scooters ... and it has brought a dangerous environment in downtown."

Mayor John Whitmire argued scooters represented "one of our number one security risks in the city right now" due to unsafe operation on sidewalks and streets. Sign up for the Hello, Houston! daily newsletter to get local reports like this delivered directly to your inbox.

"Personally owned vehicles" are exempt from the c

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