An Arizona House panel approved a pair of measures designed to keep beggars at bay.
One outlaws soliciting money or selling things in a public area by knowingly making physical contact. The other makes it a crime to approach or follow a person being solicited in a way that causes the person fear of bodily harm and outlaws continuing to solicit after being told to stop.
Sen. John Kavanagh sees them as improving quality of life.
“These are the little incivilities that drive the middle class out of our cities and destroy the cities and make them ghettos,” Kavanagh said.
A separate bill will make it a crime for someone who doesn’t intend to cross the street to push the crosswalk button.
“This is stealing other people's time. This is akin to if a person's walking down the street and you want to panhandle them stepping in front of them and making them listen to your pitch,” Kavanagh said.
The Senate passed bills were approved by the Judiciary Committee and sent to the House floor.