The bill HB2658 aims to prohibit pedestrians from congregating or soliciting in specific unsafe locations, including painted or raised traffic islands, exit or entrance ramps of controlled access highways, and intersections lacking sidewalks or safe corridors. The legislation establishes a tiered enforcement approach: for the first violation, a peace officer may only issue a warning; for a second violation, the individual is responsible for a civil traffic violation; and for a third or subsequent violation, the individual is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

This new bill language modifies existing laws by explicitly defining the locations where pedestrian congregation is prohibited and outlining the consequences for violations. The current law does not specify these locations or the graduated penalties for repeated offenses, which the new bill introduces to enhance public safety on roadways.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 28-798
House Engrossed Version: 28-798
Senate Engrossed Version: 28-798