The motion made by Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey to put together an ordinance to ban panhandling on medians and roads in unincorporated Harris County did not pass.
Commissioner Ramsey was joined by Commissioner Garcia, but fellow Democrats Rodney Ellis and Lesley Briones both voted no, with Ellis saying "I don't think we should criminalize people for being poor."
Briones then weighed in adding, "Yes we care about safety and the unhoused, but I don't want to create a regime for criminalizing or creating more suboptimal outcomes for these individuals."
The motion did not carry with a final vote of 2-2.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo was not in attendance at the meeting, but likely would have voted no as well.
Another attempt at passing restrictions in the future will likely have to wait until after next year's elections.