Omaha to Outlaw Standing on Medians

In an effort to curb panhandling, the mayor of Omaha introduces ordinance to make it illegal to be on some thin medians.

1 minute read

September 29, 2017, 10:00 AM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark

Hanlly Sam via The Accent / Flickr

"Mayor Jean Stothert would ban people from being on certain types of medians at many intersections for any reason except for crossing the street or doing construction work," Emily Nohr and Christopher Burbach write in Omaha World Herald. While this ordinance will affect panhandlers, it does not mention begging directly. "By prohibiting people generally from those medians, Stothert and city attorneys hope to avoid concerns about potential violations of First Amendment rights," Nohr and Burbach write. For her part, Mayor Stothert contends the ordinance is about safety.

Mayor Stothert's ordinance is one of a growing number of laws and rules around the country aimed at criminalizing panhandling and homelessness.

FULL STORY: Mayor Stothert proposes ordinance to ban people from narrow medians at some of Omaha’s busiest intersections

Wednesday, September 27, 2017 in Omaha World Herald

Infrastructure Nebraska Omaha Homelessness Median Panhandling Traffic Criminalized Homelessness View More

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