According to tonight’s agenda, Decatur’s City Commission will vote on adoption of a new city ordinance that prohibits “aggressive panhandling”.

6. Ordinance Amending Chapter 70 Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions.

Recommend adoption of Ordinance O-08-XX prohibiting aggressive panhandling.

Additionally, the commission’s agenda item #7 mentions amending Section 22-2, which deals with peddling and soliciting. Current Section 22-2 reads…

Sec. 22-2. Peddling or soliciting; permit required.

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to go from residence to residence and offer for sale, solicit orders for, sell, or distribute any other books, magazines, pamphlets, or any merchandise, or to solicit to perform services, or to engage in charitable solicitation within the city without first obtaining a permit to do so from the chief of police. The chief of police shall cause each person requesting such a permit to be photographed and fingerprinted and shall take such other steps as are necessary to ensure proper identification of the person, except that the chief of police may waive the requirement for photographing and fingerprinting persons officially representing charitable, nonprofit organizations. If a permit is issued, it shall be on the person engaged in going from residence to residence and offering for sale, soliciting orders for, selling, or distributing any books, magazines, pamphlets, or any other merchandise, or soliciting to perform services, or in making charitable solicitations.

(b) The chief of police may deny a permit to any person who has been convicted, been on probation, parole, or been imprisoned for a period of five years previous to the date of application for the violation of any of the following offenses of the State of Georgia, of any other state, or of the United States: homicide; rape; aggravated battery; burglary; aggravated assault; kidnapping; robbery; child molestation; criminal solicitation to commit any of these listed offenses; attempts to commit any of these offenses; any crime of violence or theft; sale or distribution of controlled substances, any offense involving moral turpitude.

(c) A fee as set forth in the schedule of fees and charges shall be charged to each permit, except that the permit fee may be waived for persons officially representing charitable, nonprofit organizations.

(d) Permits issued pursuant to subsection (a) shall be valid from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.