Superior Repeals Panhandling Ordinance

Action comes after Superior and seven other Wisconsin cities received a letter from the ACLU

SUPERIOR, Wis. – It was back in July when Duluth repealed its panhandling ordinance.

Now, the Superior City Council has voted unanimously to do the same.

Last month, Superior and seven other Wisconsin cities got a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union (ALCU) addressing why the organization believes panhandling laws are unconstitutional and asking the cities to repeal those ordinances.

Similar laws have been overturned in cities across the country because of a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that says cities cannot regulate speech based on the viewpoint of the speaker, which includes begging for money.

If they kept it, Superior could be sued for enforcing the ordinance.

City Attorney Frog Prell tells us this doesn’t mean everything sometimes associated with panhandling will be allowed.

Superior still has a disorderly conduct ordinance they plan to enforce.

“If you’re loud or profane or vulgar or aggressive, whatever the context might be of that, if you’re engaging in that kind of behavior, that kind of language that has a tendency to disrupt good order, yeah there’s a consequence for that absolutely,” said Superior City Attorney Frog Prell.

Prell says the panhandling ordinance has been rarely enforced.

He estimates there have only been a couple of enforcement actions taken by the city over the last several years.