Subscribe
Newsletters
Advertise

Local News

| More

Calif. City Wants to Take Day Laborer Ban to U.S. Supreme Court

BY: Caroline Cournoyer | October 10, 2011

After years of judicial back and forth over a so-called day laborer ban, the Redondo Beach City Council plans to ask the nation's highest court to hear their case, reports The Beach Reporter.

Two weeks ago, a federal appeals court struck down the Los Angeles County city's ordinance that made it illegal for people to stand on public sidewalks seeking work from passersby. According to Alex Kozinski, one of the federal judges in favor of the law, as many as 75 people would flock to a busy intersection in search of work, disrupting foot and motor vehicle traffic.

But the federal appeals court concluded that the traffic problems could be solved by enforcing the city's existing traffic laws. The court also ruled that the ordinance violates day laborers free speech rights and is so overly broad that it restricts the right of children to yell "car wash" on the side of a road.

The City Council voted unanimously to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its case -- one which was first taken to court in 2004 and then again this year.

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe for updates.

view sample

Caroline Cournoyer

Caroline Cournoyer is GOVERNING's deputy web editor.

E-mail: ccournoyer@governing.com
Twitter: @governing

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Day-Laborer Ban Case

Add Your Comment

You are solely responsible for the content of your comments. GOVERNING reserves the right to remove comments that are considered profane, vulgar, obscene, factually inaccurate, off-topic, or considered a personal attack.

Comments must be fewer than 2000 characters.