Aiken County Council Approves Panhandling Ban

Aiken County Council voted on Jan. 20 to ban panhandling in unincorporated areas. All nine members agreed. The panel approved the third and final reading of an ordinance that changed the county's Code of Ordinances to add the ban.

The ordinance also confirmed the licensing requirement for peddling and soliciting, according to County Attorney Brad Farrar. Breaking the ban is a misdemeanor. Offenders who are convicted face a fine of up to $500 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both.

"What happens in a code enforcement case is you give a warning and hope that addresses it," Farrar said, according to the Aiken Standard. "The goal is not to fine somebody and put them in jail. The goal is to solve the problem. Taking them to court is a last resort."

Council member Phil Napier led the effort to get the ban passed. Napier said he proposed the ban because of safety concerns expressed by the public.