Montgomery, Alabama – Panhandlers who refuse to obey Alabama law enforcement now risk harsher penalties, due to the passage of House Bill 24 on Tuesday.
“This bill is just where a police officer gives them the option to leave or can take them somewhere to get them some help. And if they don’t do either one, then it’s overnight in jail,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Reed Ingram.
The new rule makes loitering and panhandling on state highways and roadways illegal.
Those who break the law may be charged with a Class C misdemeanor. Additional arrests might result in penalties or jail time.
According to Ingram, the goal is to safeguard not only drivers but also panhandlers.
“We’ve had so many people in Montgomery, around all the interstate exits and around the bypass and Taylor Road that have gotten run over,” Ingram said.
The regulation only applies to state highways, which in Montgomery include the Boulevard, Atlanta Highway, Vaughn Road, and Taylor Road.
“The goal is to make sure we get these people that truly want help off our streets and off our corners and get them the help that they really, really need,” said Montgomery County Commission Chairman Doug Singleton.
Singleton also mentioned that there are resources accessible for those in need. He directed his attention to the Carastar Crisis Center, Mercy House, and Friendship Mission.
While the law clearly states that law enforcement has the choice of giving a warning or transporting people to shelters, there has been some dissent. The Southern Poverty Law Center is indispensable. Micah West, senior attorney with the SPLC’s Economic Justice Project, issued the following statement:
“Housing, not handcuffs, is the best way to end homelessness. Rather than criminalizing people who are asking for our help, the State of Alabama should address Alabama’s housing affordability crisis.”
Regardless, state officials have already given the measure their approval. According to Ingram, it is a question of public safety.
“We’ve got to protect the citizens,” he stated.
It is unclear how local law enforcement intends to enforce the law.
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