Miami-Dade County, FL Public Conduct: Aggressive Panhandling (2026)

4 creates the offense of 'pedestrian interference,' covering two distinct acts committed intentionally in a public place: obstructing pedestrian or vehicular traffic, or aggressively begging. The code defines 'beg' broadly as asking or soliciting money or goods as charity by word, gesture, sign or other means, and defines 'public place' to include alleys, sidewalks, streets, parking lots, parks, plazas and the doorways and entrances of buildings open to the public. 'Aggressively beg' means begging with intent to intimidate, and the section lists four circumstances a court may weigh in deciding intent: touching the person solicited, following the person and persisting after a negative response, directing profane or abusive language at the person, or using violent or threatening gestures.

'Obstruct' separately covers blocking a sidewalk or roadway, or forcing a pedestrian off the sidewalk or a driver into unreasonable evasive action such as changing lanes or straddling lanes to get by. The section carves out an explicit exception for constitutionally protected picketing or protest and for activity authorized by a lawful permit; those acts do not count as obstruction. Penalties escalate on a second or later conviction: a first violation draws up to 30 days in jail, a fine capped at $100, both at the court's discretion, Chapter 8CC civil fines, or completion of the county's Diversion Program, while a second or subsequent violation draws up to 60 days in jail and a fine capped at $200.

The section also directs police, court staff and judges to consider referring suspects, especially homeless individuals, to treatment programs such as the Miami-Dade County Homeless Assistance Project as an alternative to prosecution, provided the person consents.