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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0915.000 2006-2008 Emily L Naeole Council Member Mailing Address: ••.•a•N'. Business Address: (Former County Building) 333 Kilauea Avenue, Second Floor 25 Aupuni Street Ben Franklin Building Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 Hawai `i County Council County of Hawai `i Telephone: (808) 961-8267 Facsimile: (808) 961-8912 MEMORANDUM To: Pete Hoffmann, Chair And Members of the County Council From: Emily I. Naeole Council Member Date: January 2, 2008 Subject: Ordinance Relating To Soliciting For Money Or Objects Of Value Attached is an ordinance amending chapter 14, article 13 of the Hawaii County Code, 1983 (2005 Edition, As Amended), relating to a ban on soliciting for money or objects of value. EIN/tce Comm. No. Ref. To: N 'I) D C_ Ref, Date JAN 0 2 2008 Hawaii County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer Print version - © COPYRIGHT 2007 The Honolulu Advertiser - Hawaii's Newspaper, a Page 1 of 2 *HonoluluAdvertisul,com Alt Posted on: Sunday, November 4, 2007 City to get tougher Waikiki panhandlers Advertiser Staff Amid growing concern about homelessness and associated problems in Waikiki, the City Council will soon consider banning "aggressive" panhandling near ATMs and BEING TOO PUSHY check-cashing businesses. "Unfortunately, some of our residents, and especially our visitors in Waikiki, have been Djou's proposal defines harassed by aggressive panhandlers when they get money from ATMs," said "aggressive" panhandling Councilman Charles Djou, who represents the area. as: Djou sponsored the proposal after the Waikiki Neighborhood Board voted 10-6 earlier . Persisting in soliciting this month to seek such a ban. Members complained about abusive behavior among a money from, following, or subset of homeless people in the area. approaching a person after "This bill seeks to prevent individuals, including foreign visitors unfamiliar with local the person has given a customs, from being intimidated when obtaining cash," Djou said. negative response by either words or conduct to a If the measure is approved by the council, panhandlers would face a $25 fine for each solicitation for money. offense. . Intentionally touching or The council is scheduled to take an initial vote on Bill 81 on Wednesday. Final approval causing physical contact would require several additional votes over two months or more. with a person being solicited without that One man who was discreetly panhandling along Kalakaua Avenue early Friday, away , from ATMs, said he was not particularly worried about a ban, but conceded that some person s consent. competitors become too forceful and draw unwanted police attention. . Intentionally blocking or No aggressive panhandling was apparent near prominent ATMs before noon, but interfering with the safe or several homeless people strolled or sat along Kalakaua and other Waikiki streets, free passage of a person including a few who appeared intoxicated despite the early hour. exiting or entering a vehicle near an ATM. On Kuhio Avenue, a police officer questioned a disheveled man and woman sitting outside a convenience store with a soiled blanket. They soon stumbled off down Lili'uokalani Avenue, where he stopped to urinate in some bushes while glaring at • Using violent or passers-by, and she collapsed at his feet as her pants slipped to thigh level. threatening gestures toward a person being solicited. Djou, an attorney, said he modeled his legislation after similar bans enacted in Denver and Minneapolis. Laws that broadly targeted begging and panhandling in some other Using profane or abusive cities were struck down in courts as unconstitutional violations of the right to free speech. The American Civil Liberties Union's Hawai'i chapter - which has opposed language that is likely to some efforts to ban other controversial public behavior in Waikiki, such as street provoke an immediate performances that include solicitations - could not be reached Friday for comment. violent reaction from the person being solicited. Back . Approaching or following a person being o COPYRIGHT 2007 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannet co. inc. solicited in a group of two http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Nov/04/lnihawaii7llO4O351.htmt/?print=on 12/26/2007 Print version - © COPYRIGHT 2007 The Honolulu Advertiser - Hawaii's Newspaper, a Page 2 of 2 All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written or more persons, in a permission of The Honolulu Advertiser. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other manner and with conduct, notice from copies of the content. words, or gestures intended or likely to cause a reasonable person to fear imminent bodily harm or damage to or loss of property or otherwise to be intimidated into giving money or other things of value. http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Nov/04/in/hawaii7llO40351.html/?print=on 12/26/2007