The ACLU of Illinois says proposed changes to Springfield’s effort to regulate people asking for money at busy intersections may address some constitutional questions.
But the civil liberties group says that will depend on how the final revised ordinance is worded. The city has been trying to address the panhandling that takes place at high-traffic intersections and in median strips near major shopping hubs. The initial proposal called for a ban on pedestrians approaching a car in the roadway for any reason, unless the person was getting in the vehicle for a ride. But the ACLU said that could violate free speech rights. Now the city says it will tailor the ordinance only for high-traffic, high-accident intersections, to make clear that it’s a public safety issue.
The ACLU says that might be acceptable, but it wants to see how the proposal is worded and how it would be enforced.
