BOLIVAR, Mo. (AP) - A southwest Missouri town has repealed an ordinance restricting panhandling after it prompted a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri.
The Bolivar Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday to repeal the ordinance, along with one that restricted solicitations in the town about 30 miles north of Springfield.
The ACLU sued on behalf of Bolivar resident Rick Hill, who contended the panhandling ordinance violated his right to free speech and other constitutional rights. After the board approved the ordinance in March, Hill wore a sign around town that said “I NEED MONEY,” to protest and educate residents.
The ordinance outlaws all “aggressive” panhandling, such as people walking into traffic and knocking on car windows. It also restricted nonverbal or passive panhandling, such as sitting with a sign, within 20 feet of most buildings, ATM machines or bank teller windows.
Hill said he was not opposed to banning aggressive panhandling but was against the restrictions on passive solicitations.
“My goal was to get this passive part repealed,” Hill said Wednesday. “It was written pretty broad. If you can’t express a need to your neighbor in the public square in Bolivar, that’s flat-out not right.”
The Springfield News-Leader reports (https://sgfnow.co/1RKsPtV ) board members had no discussion before voting to repeal the ordinance and declined to discuss the decision.
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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, https://www.news-leader.com
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