AN ORDINANCE
NO.
An ordinance amending the Columbus Code by deleting Section 14-10 and
substituting a new Section prohibiting aggressive panhandling; and for other
purposes.
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THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 14 of the Columbus Code is hereby amended by deleting Section 14-10 in
its entirety and by substituting a new Section to read as follows:
?(a) As used in this section, panhandling means any solicitation made in person
upon any street, public place or park in the city, in which a person requests
an immediate donation of money or other gratuity from another person, and
includes but is not limited to seeking donations:
(1) By vocal appeal or for music, singing, or other street performance; and,
(2) Where the person being solicited receives an item of little or no monetary
value in exchange for a donation, under circumstances where a reasonable person
would understand that the transaction is in substance a donation.
However, panhandling shall not include the act of passively standing or
sitting nor performing music, singing or other street performance with a sign
or other indication that a donation is being sought, without any vocal request
other than in response to an inquiry by another person.
(b) It shall be unlawful to engage in an act of panhandling on any day between
8:00 PM EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) and 8:00 AM EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) and
between 7:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time) and 7:00 AM EST (Eastern Standard
Time).
(c) It shall be unlawful to engage in an act of panhandling when either the
panhandler or the person being solicited is located at any of the following
locations: at a bus stop; in any public transportation vehicle or public
transportation facility; in a vehicle which is parked or stopped on a public
street or alley; in a sidewalk or outdoor cafe; or within twenty (20) feet in
any direction from an automatic teller machine or entrance to a bank.
(d) It shall be unlawful to engage in an act of panhandling in an aggressive
manner, including any of the following actions:
(1) Touching the solicited person without the solicited person?s
consent;
(2) Panhandling a person while such person is standing in line and waiting to
be admitted to a commercial establishment;
(3) Blocking the path of a person being solicited, or the entrance to any
building or vehicle;
(4) Following behind, ahead or alongside a person who walks away from the
panhandler after being solicited;
(5) Using profane or abusive language, either during the solicitation or
following a refusal to make a donation, or making any statement, gesture, or
other communication which would cause a reasonable person to be fearful or feel
compelled; or,
(6) Panhandling in a group of two (2) or more persons.
(e) Each act of panhandling prohibited by this Section shall constitute a
separate violation and each violation shall be punishable as provided in
Section 1-8 of the Columbus Code.?
SECTION 2.
All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance
are hereby repealed.
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Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia held on the
22nd day of March, 2011, introduced a second time at a regular meeting of said
Council held on the ______ day of ________, 2011, and adopted at said meeting
by the affirmative vote of ________ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting____________.
Councilor Baker voting____________.
Councilor Barnes voting___________.
Councilor Davis voting____________.
Councilor Henderson voting________.
Councilor Huff voting_____________.
Councilor McDaniel voting_________.
Councilor Pugh voting_____________.
Councilor Thomas voting___________.
Councilor Woodson voting__________.
______________________________ ______________________________
TINY B. WASHINGTON TERESA PIKE TOMLINSON
CLERK MAYOR
Attachments
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