Rule changes approved by the Dayton City Commission today raised fears that panhandling will become more frequent in local neighborhoods.
The city cracked down on panhandling in 2011 by jailing violators instead of just citing them and requiring solicitors to register and obtain permits and limit begging to certain hours.
Dayton police have made over 1,140 panhandling arrests since 2011, with the majority stemming from registration-related offenses.
But the city’s law department believes the regulations would not withstand a legal challenge after recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court and multiple federal appellate courts.
The city is scrapping its registration program and has eliminated other restrictions on soliciting to try to comply with freedom of speech protections.
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