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Montgomery repeals local law to jail panhandlers

Montgomery City Council
montgomeryal.gov

Alabama's capital city has repealed a local law that would have jailed panhandlers. The Montgomery City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to repeal the unenforced ordinance that had drawn heavy criticism from homeless advocates and other groups.

The city's newly elected mayor supported the repeal. The city council approved the ordinance in July, but it was never enforced.

The measure would have required panhandlers to be jailed for two days for the first offense, unless the sentence was suspended by a judge. The jail time would have increased with each violation. 

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