Racine County, WI Public Conduct: Aggressive Panhandling (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Racine County Code Sec. 16-3
- Applies to
- County employees on county property
- Permission required from
- County executive or board chairman
- Forfeiture range
- $10 to $50
Summary
Racine County Code Sec. 16-3 bars soliciting, canvassing or begging from county employees on county property without written permission from the county executive or the county board chairman.
No person shall solicit, canvass, beg, offer to perform any service without compensation or offer for sale or sell any goods, wares, merchandise or other articles of value to employees of the county while they are working in the course of their employment in structures or facilities of the county without written permission from the county executive or written permission from the chairman of the board of supervisors for such soliciting, canvassing, begging or selling.
(b) Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall pay a forfeiture of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than fifty dollars ($50.00) together with the costs of the prosecution.
(c) When a person is arrested for violation of subsection (a) above, and desires to stipulate to a plea of nolo contendere (no contest), he may do so by forfeiting ten dollars ($10.00) pursuant to section 5-2. (Code 1975, § 13.05)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 16-3 does not regulate panhandling toward the general public on streets; it targets solicitation directed at county employees while they work inside county structures and facilities. Anyone who solicits, canvasses, begs, offers unpaid services, or offers goods, wares or merchandise for sale to a county employee on the job needs prior written permission from the county executive or the board chairman. It's the only begging/solicitation ordinance in the county code, and its reach is limited to county-owned buildings and facilities.
Violations & Fines
Forfeiture of $10 to $50 plus prosecution costs; a $10 stipulated forfeiture in lieu of a court appearance is available under Sec. 5-2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this stop panhandling on public sidewalks in Racine County?
Can a nonprofit solicit donations in a county building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Racine County
Compare Racine County to another location·View the Wisconsin public conduct overview
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