Changes To Tulsa Panhandling Could Impact Firefighter Fundraising

The City of Tulsa is changing the fine for roadside panhandling, but it could impact more than the panhandlers.

According to the law, if someone stands on the curb they can ask for money, if they step off it's against the law.

It sounds simple, but, legally, it's not. There were gray areas the city wanted to clean up, but someone else is getting caught up in the crackdown.

Tulsa's crowd of curbside panhandlers is throughout the city, not just downtown.

While aggressive panhandling is against the law, simply asking for money is not, which is why most panhandlers said they've never been ticketed by the police.

Read The Ordinances Here

One man at 51st and Lewis said he's been begging on corners for a couple of weeks and police have never stopped him.

“I always see them drive by but they've never said anything,” he said.

The problem, according to the city, is when panhandlers step out into the street to take the handout or when drivers stop if traffic is supposed to be moving.

That's not a problem for many drivers who pass panhandlers by, regardless.

“I work hard for my money and there's plenty of jobs out there they can apply for,” one woman said.

The city council is working on changing the law, increasing the fine to $150, and clarifying language prosecutors said had gray areas when things got to court.

But that's created a new problem.

The law, as written now, allows firefighters to do "Fill the Boot" drives for Muscular Dystrophy; the changes remove the exemption allowing firefighters to go into the street to get donations.

The city prosecutor said it's a legal problem to allow some fundraising and not all of it when the goal is traffic safety.

Most drivers pass the panhandlers by without stopping, and most don't know the fine points of the law or what panhandlers really do with the money.

Woman: "Oh I don't know, I couldn't say."
Emory: "But you don't give them money?"
Woman: "Maybe every once in a while."

The firefighters asked for the changes to be postponed, so what was going to council Thursday, now goes next week.

It's unclear how the city will shore up the law on panhandling and let firefighters do their fundraising.