Solicitor Permits: Antioch vs Martinez

Commercial door-to-door solicitors in Antioch must obtain a solicitor's permit and business license. Residents may post "No Soliciting" signs that legally bar commercial solicitation. Non-commercial canvassing (religious, political, charitable) is First Amendment-protected and cannot be banned.

Passive panhandling in Martinez is constitutionally protected speech and cannot be broadly banned. Municipal Code Chapter 9.20 targets aggressive solicitation (threatening conduct, following, blocking passage, or solicitation near ATMs, bus stops, and businesses after dark) rather than the act of asking for money itself. Enforcement focuses on conduct-based violations consistent with Ninth Circuit precedent.