CAC hears legal constraints on banning panhandling and the limits of signage

A Pentops CAC member reported visible loitering on median strips and urged the committee to examine whether the county could adopt ordinances to address the behavior.

“There's panhandling and there's loitering,” the member said, and added they had looked up a state law on loitering. Committee members and supervisors responded by describing the legal limits on prohibiting street begging and vagrancy.

Speaker 7 explained the constitutional and practical constraints: “You can't ban someone from panhandling. It's unconstitutional,” and noted courts treat loitering and vagrancy laws with skepticism because they can criminalize status rather than specific dangerous conduct.

Speakers also discussed whether signage that encourages residents to call a help number (rather than give money) would be appropriate. Several members said such signage only makes sense if a single phone call reliably links someone to services; Speaker 7 said the county currently lacks the service infrastructure required to guarantee that outcome.

No ordinance or new local policy was proposed at the meeting; members asked staff to consider how to brief the CAC on the applicable state law and local options without violating constitutional protections.