RB Council to Discuss Bill to Ban Intersection Panhandling

A proposed state bill to ban panhandling at intersections, as often seen at Rancho Bernardo Road and Bernardo Center Drive, is one of the discussion topics for the RB Community Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

The council meets on the second floor of the RB Library, 17110 Bernardo Center Dr.

The panhandling bill, SB 604, was introduced by state Sen. Joel Anderson on Feb. 22. The bill would amend the state Vehicle Code to "prohibit a person from soliciting, displaying, selling, offering for sale, or otherwise vending or attempting to vend any merchandise or service while being wholly or partly within an intersection controlled by a traffic control signal." 

Current law bans such activities on and near freeway on- and off-ramps.

RB Community Council President Robin Kaufman, in an email, said a representative from Anderson's office is scheduled to give a 20-minute presentation on the bill. It was passed by the Senate Committee on Transportation on Housing on April 16, and is set for hearing by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday.

No confirmation from Anderson's office has been received as to an appearance from a representative at tonight's meeting.

The full RB Community Council agenda is attached.