(Springfield, IL) — It was a victory for panhandlers in Springfield today when the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would not review an appeals court ruling striking down the city’s downtown panhandling ban. Two Springfield residents had challenged the 2013 ordinance, arguing that banning them from asking passersby for money violated their free speech rights. An appellate court ruled that ban unconstitutional, but did not address a newer addition to the city code that bans “aggressive” panhandling by creating a five-foot privacy zone to keep solicitors away from pedestrians in the city’s historic district.
The City of Vandalia last year originally approved a ban on the panhandling at intersections in the city. But, then later removed the ordinance because of the threat of lawsuits over the issue.
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David Stewart/sks IL)
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