Honolulu's Sit-Lie Ban (Bill 6, 2014, ROH §29-16) prohibits sitting or lying on public sidewalks in Waikīkī and 17 other commercial districts during business hours, and ROH §29-7 separately bars aggressive panhandling near ATMs and bus stops.
ROH §29-16 makes it unlawful to sit or lie on a public sidewalk between 5:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. in Waikīkī Special District, downtown Honolulu, Chinatown, and roughly fifteen additional commercial zones designated by ordinance. Officers must issue a verbal warning before citing. ROH §29-7 prohibits aggressive solicitation — physical contact, blocking a path, soliciting within 10 feet of an ATM, bus stop, or outdoor café, and following someone after refusal. The laws have been challenged repeatedly on First Amendment grounds; courts have upheld the time-and-place structure while striking earlier overbroad versions.
Sit-lie citations begin as petty misdemeanors with fines up to $200 and potential 30-day jail terms for repeat violations. Aggressive solicitation may escalate to misdemeanor charges with up to one year imprisonment.
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