Panhandling bill introduced in senate
WICOMICO CO., Md. – A new bill that lawmakers and police said aims to make county roads safer for individuals and panhandlers was introduced in the Maryland senate Thursday.
“I can’t get a job any other way, I would love to go to work, would love it, but I don’t have an ID,” said Sean Waters.
Panhandling is a daily occurrence for Waters as he works toward obtaining official identification.
“You don’t make a whole lot of money, it’s not like it’s knocking the world dead or anything like that, I’d much rather be working,” said Waters.
Senate bill 101, a Wicomico County roadway solicitation prohibition bill, will allow law enforcement in Wicomico County to write motor vehicle citations for panhandling in the roadways.
The citation doesn’t include a criminal penalty, but will come with a $70 fine.
“In the past two years we’ve had 334 calls for service for that type of activity,” said Salisbury Police Chief David Meienschein.
Chief Meienschein said about 25% of those calls were for aggressive behavior and individuals stepping off of medians and into roadways.
He said that is what officers are trying to curtail.
They also hope to use this as a way to provide resources to individuals who need them.
“Pointing them toward organizations that can help them with housing, help them with mental health issues, help them with health care needs, that’s also the goal because by addressing those situations, it’s going to help us because it’s going to reduce our calls that we have to respond to,” said Meienschein.
State Senator Mary Beth Carozza, who is co-sponsoring the bill, said the legislation is already in place in four other counties and has support from county leadership.
“Whether its Chief Meienschein, whether it’s Sheriff Lewis, whether it’s the leadership of the school system, we’re all approaching it with the lens of safety for our residents and assistance for those in need,” said Sen. Carozza.
If the bill moves forward and is approved, the earliest it could be enacted is in June of this year.
