The Trenton Times published the following article on September 5, 2013. To read the full article, click here.
Trenton city council introduces ordinance allowing police to clear storefronts of solicitors
By Jenna Pizzi/The Times of Trenton
on September 05, 2013 at 11:20 PM, updated September 05, 2013 at 11:21 PMTRENTON — City council successfully introduced an ordinance last night that would allow police to clear storefronts of panhandlers, hangers-on and solicitors who block patrons, but the measure was opposed by legal staff who said it would violate the constitutional right of free assembly.
The measure was approved on first reading by a vote of 4-3, but against the advice of city Law Director Caryl Amana, who advised council to give the law department more time to rewrite the ordinance to give it a better chance of withstanding a legal challenge.
The so-called “Safe Passage” ordinance is aimed at ensuring that people can safely enter and exit public places, stores, restaurants and bars.
Council members said they would meet with the law department to determine more suitable wording for the ordinance before bringing it back for a final vote.
Contact Jenna Pizzi at jpizzi@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5717.