Fort Worth Bans Aggressive Behavior By Panhandlers

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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – The Fort Worth City Council has passed an ordinance banning panhandling within 20 feet of an ATM or other places people are likely to be caught with their wallets out, including banks, check cashing businesses, parking meters and bus stations.

Persistence and aggressiveness by panhandlers is also prohibited.

For example, panhandlers are banned from soliciting money in a public place, using threatening gestures, refusing to take "no" for an answer or intentionally blocking someone's path.

And the restrictions won't end there if some council members have it their way.

Council member Cary Moon is pushing for Fort Worth to be the first city in Texas to make it illegal to give a panhandler money on public property.

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