Boulder Joins Cities In Suspending Panhandling Enforcement

Boulder is joining the list of cities suspending enforcement of panhandling rules following a federal court ruling.

Boulder says its police officers are no longer enforcing its ordinance and that city councilors will consider emergency changes to it Tuesday night to bring it in line with a ruling last week on Grand Junction's panhandling ordinance.

A judge found that parts of the ordinance were too broad and curbed constitutionally protected speech.

The decision also led Denver and Colorado Springs to suspend enforcement of their panhandling ordinances.

Boulder councilors will consider repealing the city's ban on aggressive begging and but add language that would still outlaw begging that is intimidating and causes people to fear for their safety.