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A move to outlaw panhandling at freeway ramps and along high-speed highways sped through its next-to-last vote on Friday.
The Senate Transportation Committee unanimously approved HB161, and sent it to the full Senate for final consideration. The House previously approved it 72-0.
Its sponsor, Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, said it takes a different approach than similar past laws that were struck down as unconstitutional — because of court decisions that said panhandling is a form of protected speech.
Eliason's bill focuses not on panhandling — it never specifically mentions that — but on pedestrian safety.
It prohibits a pedestrian and driver from exchanging money or property on freeways, highways and paved roads with a speed limit over 35 miles per hour.
Past laws have restricted panhandling on sidewalks or along all roadways, and lost court challenges on the basis of First Amendment protection.
"It does nothing to regulate speech," Eliason said Friday. "If you are going to make an exchange, do it in a safe place."
The bill would also ban roadway solicitations for charitable groups, such as the "Fill the Boot" campaign organized by the Professional Firefighters of Utah union. Eliason said most of those already moved to safer places such as parking lots.