(AP) – The American Civil Liberties Union is asking a federal
judge to halt a new Arkansas anti-loitering law that it says unconstitutionally
targets panhandlers and that the restrictions pose the same problems as a ban on
begging that was struck down last year.The ACLU of Arkansas sued the state on Monday over the new law, which expands
the definition of loitering to include someone asking for anything as charity or
a gift in a harassing or threatening manner in a way that’s likely to cause
alarm to the other person or creates a traffic hazard. The new law was approved
in April and took effect last week.
judge to halt a new Arkansas anti-loitering law that it says unconstitutionally
targets panhandlers and that the restrictions pose the same problems as a ban on
begging that was struck down last year.The ACLU of Arkansas sued the state on Monday over the new law, which expands
the definition of loitering to include someone asking for anything as charity or
a gift in a harassing or threatening manner in a way that’s likely to cause
alarm to the other person or creates a traffic hazard. The new law was approved
in April and took effect last week.
A federal judge last year struck down a section of the state’s loitering law
that prohibited begging for money, food or other charity.
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