The overview
In May, Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 2012, which allows counties to curb roadside and parking lot soliciting, according to the Texas Legislature Online. The bill permits restrictions on people asking for money or selling food or merchandise, including animals, along roadways.
During Harris County commissioners’ Oct. 30 meeting, a motion to pursue drafting panhandling and roadside soliciting regulations failed, with Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones voting against the measure; Judge Lina Hidalgo was absent from the meeting.
Remember this?
During Harris County Commissioner Court's Oct. 16 meeting, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey brought the motion to create new guidelines on roadside vendors.
At Ramsey’s request, the county attorney would have worked with court offices to draft an ordinance including:
- Clear prohibitions on panhandling that affects traffic lanes, medians and other areas that pose safety risks
- A focus on improving traffic flow and quality of life by creating designated safety zones away from busy traffic
- Opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness to be directed to resources
Ramsey and Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia were in favor of creating a policy governing panhandlers and roadside vendors. Garcia said the policy could be debated once it was actually drafted.
“The merit of this is really safety,” Ramsey said. “Those folks that are at the intersections and ... they're in the median. ... they really do need help, but they don't need to be able to stand in the road and collect.”
Ellis expressed a desire for the county to collect data on how panhandling and roadside vendors are impacting Harris County before pursuing a policy. Briones said she appreciated Ramsey’s emphasis on adding compassion into the policy but felt regulation could be a “slippery slope.”
“Yes, we care about safety and yes, we care about the unhoused, but I don't want to create a regime where we're criminalizing or creating even more suboptimal outcomes for these individuals,” Briones said.
Some context
On Aug. 26, a ban on roadside vendors in unincorporated areas of Montgomery County was passed by county commissioners, as previously reported by Community Impact. According to Montgomery County’s ordinance, the goal is to address traffic and safety hazards caused when drivers engage with roadside solicitors.
The rules will also prevent puppy mills, and other live animal sellers, from operating at roadsides, Precinct 4 Chief of Staff Josh Pascua said via email Sept. 24.
Melissa Enaje contributed to this report.
