Judge: Arkansas' anti-begging statute violates First Amendment
U.S. District Judge Billy Joe Wilson sided with the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas on Tuesday afternoon, issuing an order prohibiting the enforcement of the state's anti-begging statute.
He wrote that the statute violates the First Amendment by restricting freedom of speech.
"A statute that regulates speech based on its content must be narrowly tailored to promote a compelling government interest," Wilson wrote. "Banning begging in all places, at all times, by all people, in all ways does not come close to chinning this bar."
Wilson declined to abstain from the decision, writing that while the Arkansas Supreme Court could one day interpret the case, the anti-begging law still raised "constitutional concerns."
Read more: http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/nov/22/federal-judge-hears-arguments-aclus-challenge-arka/
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