Phoenix City Code Chapter 23 bars aggressive solicitation, including approaching after refusal, blocking pedestrians or vehicles, and panhandling near ATMs, transit stops, or outdoor cafes. Arizona ARS §13-2905 loitering law adds state-level enforcement. Passive sign-holding remains protected speech.
Phoenix City Code Section 23-7 (Aggressive Solicitation Ordinance, G-3892, 1996) prohibits soliciting in a manner that intimidates, blocks paths, follows after refusal, uses profane or threatening language, makes physical contact, or occurs within 15 feet of an ATM, bus stop, or outdoor dining area. Solicitation in roadways is barred separately under §36-22 traffic rules. Arizona ARS §13-2905 (loitering) supplements city enforcement for begging coupled with disorderly conduct. The Ninth Circuit's Comite de Jornaleros (2011) and Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015) limit how far cities can go on content; Phoenix's ordinance focuses on conduct rather than the speech itself. Passive sign-holding on public sidewalks remains constitutionally protected.
Aggressive solicitation is a Class 1 misdemeanor under Phoenix §23-7 and §1-5, punishable by up to $2,500 in fines and six months in jail per offense, plus possible no-contact orders and trespass admonishments.
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