Panhandling Legislation Withdrawn

In the middle of a busy legislative session, a bill giving Montgomery County the ability to set up a roadside solicitation permitting system has been withdrawn from consideration.

“I wanted more time working on convincing people to have a permitting system rather than an outright ban,” said Del. Anne Kaiser (D-Dist. 14) of Olney,  a co-sponsor of the bill. "At this stage of the legislative session, it seemed to make more sense to take up this fight again next year."

The bill was introduced by Kaiser and Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park as a late-filed local bill for consideration by the county delegation. It passed through the delegation's Land-use and Transportation Committee and was subject to a public hearing.

Under current law, anyone is allowed to ask for money on the medians of roads, as long as they do not step off the curb or harass drivers. Both individual panhandlers and charity groups (including the county firefighters’ “Fill the Boot Campaign” for muscular dystrophy) collect donations at major intersections. The legislation would ban anyone from collecting money on a median or sidewalk, unless they had a permit from the county.

Kaiser said the residents of Colesville and Hillendale had been most outspoken on the issue.

Kaiser said that she was not supportive of an outright ban, but would introduce the bill in the next session. 

“At this point,” she said, “we need to give it a little more time.”