panhandling

The city of Manchester has paid $89,000 to settle a lawsuit over the city’s panhandling policies.

The New Hampshire District Court has struck down Manchester's anti-panhandling ordinance, concluding the law violated the First Amendment. Under the ordinance, people were not allowed to accept charitable contributions from motor vehicles, even if they stayed out of the roadway.

Elliot Berry, from New Hampshire Legal Assistance, was a representing attorney in the case.

Berry says the federal court decision calls into question the constitutionality of similar ordinances in Concord, Somersworth and Rochester.    

The city of Manchester has begun putting up signs designed to discourage people from giving money to panhandlers.

One sign put up within the past week near Amoskeag Bridge reads: “Your generosity could lead to a fatality.”

The sign encourages people to instead give their money to one of several local charities.

"It's just in furtherance of our educational campaign to hopefully save some of these folks from themselves," said Manchester Police Chief Nick Willard. "They went up last week, I think at 15 or 16 locations." 

The New Hampshire American Civil Liberties Union and New Hampshire Legal Assistance are suing the city of Manchester and a police officer for allegedly infringing upon the constitutional rights of panhandlers.

The ACLU argues the Manchester Police Department has been charging panhandlers with disorderly conduct.  Gilles Bissonnette is legal director of the ACLU of New Hampshire. He says the city is applying that charge to legal behavior.

Officials in Nashua will consider an ordinance this week that aims to curb panhandling in the city.

The Telegraph of Nashua reports the proposal would bar the exchange of goods between pedestrians and drivers in a public way.

The legislation goes before the Board of Aldermen on Tuesday.

Officials in Hudson have agreed to suspend their efforts to crackdown on panhandlers while a federal lawsuit is pending.

The New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union earlier this month filed a lawsuit claiming Hudson officials are violating the free speech rights of panhandlers by telling them to stop seeking handouts and move along.

The Nashua Telegraph reports the two sides agreed in federal court that panhandlers would be able to solicit donations provided their conduct doesn't interfere with traffic or impede access to local businesses.