New state law targets aggressive panhandling
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JACKSON, Tenn. — A new state law that took effect Wednesday targets aggressive panhandlers in Tennessee. Get caught begging for money and you could face a fine or jail time. A man with a sign sat along Carriage House Drive in Jackson on Wednesday. Drivers stopped to give him money. Lisa Peoples works for Area Relief Ministries, an organization that helps the needy in Jackson. “A lot of times the dollar or $3 or $5 that we would give is not really getting to the root of the problem,” she said. A new state law targeting aggressive panhandlers prevents solicitors from touching people without consent and blocking the person‘s path or vehicle. It also bans solicitors from following a person and making statements that would cause someone to feel fear of personal harm. “At times I do donate, and I’m not going to say that all of them necessarily need the money,” George Pearson, of Madison County, said. Lt. Brad Wilbanks with the Tennessee Highway Patrol said panhandling is dangerous. “I’ve seen one person that was soliciting money get run over and killed a few years ago at the top of an exit ramp on the interstate,” he said. Jackson police said their department arrested three people for panhandling in 2014 and seven so far this year. The department said they issued 27 warnings for panhandling in 2014 and 13 so far this year. Peoples encourages donors to give to organizations, not individuals. “I feel like that if for the majority of people would just give to the agencies to be able to assist people, then maybe there’d be less panhandling,” she said. People caught panhandling more than once could get fined, spend up to 90 days in jail, or both.
