Tamarac, FL Public Conduct: Aggressive Panhandling (2026)

City Code Sec. 14-3, most recently amended by Ordinance No. 2021-026 on August 25, 2021, targets solicitation that endangers traffic safety rather than begging or panhandling generally; the city commission's findings in subsection (a) expressly preserve the constitutional right to peacefully beg, panhandle or solicit. Subsection (c) imposes three specific restrictions: beggars, panhandlers and solicitors may not obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic or aggressively beg, panhandle, solicit or sell on any state road in Tamarac or any road that joins a state road; they may not beg, panhandle or solicit from the operator or occupant of a vehicle that is in traffic on a public street; and no person may stand on a traffic median, bicycle path, public street or right-of-way to beg, panhandle, solicit or sell items while the area is in use by vehicular traffic.

Subsection (b) defines 'aggressively beg, panhandle or solicit' as a request accompanied by unwanted touching, detaining, impeding or intimidation, and defines 'obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic' as blocking passage or forcing another person or driver to take evasive action, while carving out constitutionally protected picketing and protest. Enforcement under subsection (d) runs through Broward County Court under Section 1-13, which authorizes a fine, up to 90 days' imprisonment, or both, and the city may separately pursue injunctive relief or civil damages for continuing violations.