Lawsuit Spurs Change To Peddler Rules
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Longer Peddler Hours
Residents in a local town could soon hear solicitants knocking at their doors as late as 9 p.m.CANAL WINCHESTER—Residents in a local town could soon hear solicitants knocking at their doors as late as 9 p.m.
The change is the result of a $50,000 lawsuit by an Ohio environmental action group.
Ohio Citizen Action Group sued the city back in April, claiming door-to-door sales hours within the City of Canal Winchester were unconstitutional.
The group claimed the current law violates its First Amendment rights—severely restricting the hours they could garner support for their cause.
“We think we should be able to set the hours that we want to in the protection of our residents and what they want, but the insurance company seemed to think differently,“ said Leah Turner, of Canal Winchester City Council.
Canal Winchester City Council changed the ordinance to allow door-to-door solicitations from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.—two hours more than the current law.
NBC 4 travelled to the Clintonville offices for comment, but was referred to their trial attorney, Capital University law professor Dan Kobil, who said the lawsuit goes beyond the time restrictions.
“One of the things that the ordinance did was that it discriminated between some speakers and others. It had specific groups that the village wanted to allow to come to people’s doors at anytime of the day or night, but other groups that they didn’t allow,“ Kobil said.
Citizens wishing to opt out can add their name to the Do Not Knock list—a measure provided in the new law.
Solicitants must still register at City Hall and receive a copy of the Do Not Knock list.
The public is encouraged to comment during the next city council meeting on Monday, Oct. 5.
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Reader Reactions
I think it’s stupid to make it later. I have 2 young kids one of whom is in school now and she is in bed at 8pm so she’s sleeping by 9. If you knock on my door after 8 be prepared to be yelled at
My simple way around this.
“No Solicitors” sign in plain view on or near my front door. Knock on my door after dark. It will be answered by me and my Glock. Because if you’re knocking, it better be because someone is trying to kill you and you are running for your life. Or you’re a highschool kid selling candy bars so you can have a football team. Otherwise, you have NO reason. There is entirely too much of this going on in the world between telemarketers, spam e-mail, heck even recorded Obama messages on your cell phone.
How about we pass the Archie Bunker law? Any person who habitually annoys people with unsolicited contact whether it be in person, e-mail, phone, etc. Shall be labeled a “Meathead” and forced to work 10 hours a week for no pay cleaning up trash or making other improvements for a period of no less than 6 months.
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