Atlanta City Code Chapter 106 prohibits aggressive panhandling and panhandling within 15 feet of ATMs, bus stops, and outdoor dining, balancing First Amendment rights with public safety in tourist corridors.
Atlanta's public solicitation ordinance (Chapter 106) defines aggressive panhandling as solicitation involving physical contact, blocking the path of a person, threatening language, persistent following, or solicitation after refusal. Begging itself is constitutionally protected speech under federal precedent, so Atlanta's ordinance focuses on conduct, not content. Specific buffer zones prohibit panhandling within 15 feet of ATMs, bus stops, parking pay stations, sidewalk cafes, and after dark. The Tourist Triangle (downtown convention area) historically had additional restrictions. APD officers issue warnings before citations except for aggressive conduct. Multiple Georgia cities have had similar ordinances narrowed by courts, so enforcement focuses on conduct elements.
Aggressive panhandling is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $500 fine and 60 days in jail. APD typically issues warnings first for non-aggressive solicitation in restricted zones unless conduct escalates.
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