Chicago City Council has repealed the city's panhandling ordinance. CCH joined with the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty to send letters in August to 15 Illinois cities to warn that panhandling bans are unconstitutional. In addition to Chicago, Aurora, Oak Park, Peoria, Urbana and Decatur also acted to repeal their regressive panhandling ordinances. Elgin and East St. Louis said they no longer enforce a ban. Cicero and Champaign have said they are examining their ordinances. This effort was part of a national campaign to reverse discriminatory and unconstitutional laws. |