By Tyler Beard and Marc Sugalski
The Baltimore County Council is considering a bill that would allow door-to-door soliciting until 8 p.m., three hours later than the current 5 p.m. curfew.
The bill, which was discussed during the council’s work session Tuesday afternoon, was proposed by District-4 Councilman Julian E. Jones, Jr.
“It’s un-American to restrict those who go door-to-door selling things,” Jones said. “They should have the right to conduct business and make a living at times they want. Those that don’t want to be bothered by those selling products should just a ‘no solicitation’ sign on their doors.”
Jones proposed that the curfew for soliciting to be changed to 8 p.m. The bill would go into effect 45 days after its approval. Supporters of the bill argued that the increased solicitation time would be better for business while also improving people skills with interactions. Opponents raised concerns over safety and said they don’t want solicitors knocking on their doors after dark.
The council also discussed a bill proposed by District-1 Councilman Tom Quirk that would permit scrap metal processing facilities to operate in Baltimore County, separating these facilities from junkyards.
The bill would go into effect on June 1, if passed by the County Council.