Published: April 17, 2008 07:25 pm            

Orange cracking down on street fundraising

By Debby Schamber

The Orange Leader





City officials want to warn people that soliciting on the roadways is not only dangerous, but is also against the law.

While working routine patrol, officers with the Orange Police Department stopped at three different locations Wednesday to tell people to move on and that soliciting was illegal.

It became especially dangerous in July 2007 when an accident occurred involving a 10-year-old girl who was collecting funds for a softball fundraiser near the intersection of Highway 62 and Interstate 10.

The girl was crossing the feeder road under the bridge when she reportedly stepped out in front of a moving vehicle. The driver said she never saw the girl until it was too late.

“This type of incident is our worst nightmare,” said OPD Major Steve Jones. “It is dangerous for members of any soccer, softball teams, etcetera to be out in the roadway soliciting funds.”

And city officials want to discourage people from doing this. No parent intentionally puts their child at risk, Jones said, but soliciting funds from passing motorists could potentially go from innocent fundraising to a deadly accident.

Officials urge the public to find another means of raising funds such as collecting money at local stores.

“We should not be putting out children at risk,” Jones said.

OPD has for years taken the position that solicitations are dangerous and should be discouraged. Nobody, especially children should be placed in the dangerous environment of congested traffic, Jones said.

In addition, it is against a state law to solicit funds on the roadways without a permit. Violation of the law is a class C misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine.

The law according to the Texas Transportation Code states, “a person may not stand in a roadway to solicit a ride, contribution, employment, or business from an occupant of a vehicle.”

The law also requires the applicant to seek authorization from the local police department to solicit 11 days before the solicitation is set to begin. The applicant is also supposed to supply proof of liability insurance in the amount of at least $1 million to cover damages that may arise during the solicitation. The insurance must provide coverage against claims against the applicant and the local authority.



Reach this reporter at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2613, or dschamber@orangeleader.com

        

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