Albuquerque prohibits aggressive panhandling tactics like blocking, threatening, or following people, and restricts roadway solicitation that interferes with traffic, while preserving constitutionally protected peaceful asking for donations.
Albuquerque's public conduct ordinances and pedestrian safety rules target the manner of solicitation rather than the act of asking for money. Conduct prohibitions cover blocking another person's path, touching them without consent, following after a refusal, using threatening or profane language, and soliciting near ATMs, bus stops, or outdoor dining at close range. Separate roadway-safety provisions limit standing on medians and exchanging items with vehicle occupants in lanes of travel. The city has revised these rules over time to comply with First Amendment rulings, including Reed v. Town of Gilbert and Tenth Circuit decisions on pedestrian-safety statutes.
Touching, threatening, or following someone after solicitation refusal, or stepping into traffic to receive donations, can result in misdemeanor citations, fines, and required pretrial conditions.
See how Albuquerque's aggressive panhandling rules stack up against other locations.
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