Hallsville Solicitation and Aggressive Solicitation ordinance (§ 210.770)

A. Definitions. The following definitions shall apply to the provisions of this Section:

AGGRESSIVE SOLICITATION: Solicitation in the following manner:

1. To approach or speak to a person in such a manner as would cause a reasonable person to believe that the person is being threatened with:

a. Imminent bodily injury; or

b. The commission of a criminal act upon the person or another person or upon property in the person's immediate possession;

2. To persist in solicitation after the person solicited has given a negative response;

3. To block, either individually or as part of a group of persons, the passage of a solicited person;

4. To touch a solicited person without the person's consent;

5. To render any service to a motor vehicle, including, but not limited to, any cleaning, washing, protecting, guarding or repairing of said vehicle or any portion thereof, without the prior consent of the owner, operator or occupant of such vehicle and thereafter asking, begging or soliciting alms or payment for the performance of such service, regardless of whether such vehicle is stopped, standing or parked on a public street or upon other public or private property; or

6. To engage in conduct that would reasonably be construed as intended to intimidate or force a solicited person to give whatever is being requested from that person.

SOLICITATION: Solicitation, in the context of this Section, shall mean using actions or verbal means to request any tangible or intangible thing from any other person when the person making the request is not known to the person(s) who is the subject of the request. The term "solicitation" shall not mean the act of passively standing or sitting with a sign or other indicator that something is being sought without any vocal request other than a response to an inquiry by another person under this Section.

B. Prohibitions.

1. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in aggressive solicitation.

2. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the act of solicitation when either the solicitor or the person being solicited is located in, on, or at any of the following locations:

a. In any public transportation vehicle;

b. Within fifty (50) feet of an automatic teller machine or entrance to a bank;

c. Within five (5) feet of a point of entry to or exit from any building open to the public, including commercial establishments;

d. At any sidewalk cafe;

e. Within any municipal or government-owned building that has not been otherwise designated as a place where solicitation is allowed.

3. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the act of solicitation on private property or inside a business without written permission from the owner.

4. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the act of solicitation between sunset and sunrise.

5. Any violation of this Section is punishable as a Code violation.