DENVER (AP) - Fort Collins won't ticket people who peacefully panhandle in the city under a settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union.
The deal announced Monday settles a federal lawsuit brought by the ACLU accusing the city of going too far in cracking down on panhandlers.
Fort Collins has agreed to permanently drop some parts of its panhandling law, such as barring people from soliciting donations from anyone over 60 or near ATMs or bus stops. However, the city is keeping restrictions on aggressive panhandling. Panhandlers who try to intimidate people or touch or grab people while asking for money can still be ticketed.
Fort Collins maintained that its law never banned peaceful panhandling but the ACLU claimed the law was being unfairly enforced against homeless people holding signs and street musicians.
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