Minors will likely be banned from panhandling along Anne Arundel County roads, but as the General Assembly session wound down Monday afternoon, lawmakers weren?t sure whether the state or the County Council would be responsible for the ban.
Del. Virginia Clagett, D-Anne Arundel, who was one of a six-member conference committee between the House of Delegates and the Senate, said she was working for a ban on minors instead of allowing the county to license certain groups to panhandle.
But as of press time, the conference committee had not met. The General Assembly was scheduled to adjourn for the year at midnight.
The House approved a version of the bill to ban minors by state law from panhandling in Anne Arundel and Montgomery counties, but the Senate chose to make local governments responsible for banning certain groups by instituting a licensing program.
Anne Arundel County Council members had worried about the county?s liability if it were forced to license panhandlers. But some charities, including the Knights of Columbus, had protested an earlier attempt to ban roadside begging because they said it would negatively affect their charitable fundraising. Council Chairman Ed Reilly called it a “public safety issue,” and said he would be satisfied with the legislation either way.
Panhandling is banned in Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Harford and Washington counties. Prince George?s County already has banned minors younger than 15 from roadside soliciting.
Backstory
» Anne Arundel county legislators failed to act in 2004 to pass a law that would have mandated roadside solicitors to obtain a county license. Critics also expressed concern that a total ban on panhandling could lead to several lawsuits. So far no lawsuits have been filed against Harford, Carroll, Charles, Frederick or Washington, which all have bans.
