Columbia County, GA Public Conduct: Aggressive Panhandling (2026)

Section 58-10 regulates the time, place, and manner of panhandling and solicitation in the unincorporated county, and it exempts constitutionally protected activity. 'Aggressive panhandling' is defined broadly to include intentionally or recklessly making physical contact with a person or vehicle while soliciting; continuing to solicit after the target has already given a negative response; approaching, speaking to, or following a person in a way reasonably likely to cause fear of imminent bodily harm or to intimidate; intentionally or recklessly blocking someone's safe passage or forcing a pedestrian or driver to take evasive action; using violent, threatening, obscene, or abusive language or gestures; and soliciting 'at night,' defined as the period from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.

Beyond the aggressive-panhandling ban itself, section 58-10(c) lists eight separate prohibited acts: aggressive panhandling; soliciting on private property without the owner's permission, or after the owner has posted notice against it; soliciting within 30 feet of any ATM, bank, financial institution, or check-cashing facility; soliciting while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance; soliciting within ten feet of a building's entrance or exit; soliciting within 30 feet of an outdoor dining area; and soliciting the operator or a passenger of a motor vehicle, with an exception for emergency roadside repairs requested by the vehicle's occupants. 'Public area' is defined expansively to include streets, sidewalks, medians, bridges, parking lots and decks, parks, greenspace, schools, and any county-controlled or public-transportation property.