Blythe Municipal Code Ch. 5.68 Solicitors and Peddlers

For the purpose of this chapter, "solicitor" means all persons, both principal or agent, who go from house to house, or to only one house, or upon any street, sidewalk, alley or plaza, or in any park or public place in the city, soliciting gifts of money or property for any purpose, soliciting, either by sample or otherwise, the sale of goods, wares, merchandise, services, magazines, periodicals or other publications, or subscriptions for the same, regularly published newspapers excepted, for themselves or for firms which do or do not have an established place of business in the city, and who offers to or distributes to any person any coupon, certificate or ticket or card which is redeemable in goods, wares, merchandise or services.

(Ord. 191 § 1, 1949)

All persons operating as solicitors, peddlers, hawkers, salesman or vendors of goods, wares, merchandise, services, magazines, periodicals or other publications, or subscriptions for the same, regularly published newspapers excepted, who go from house to house, or to only one house, or upon any street, sidewalk, alley or plaza, or in any park or public place in the city, are required to register with the police department and to obtain an identification card showing such registration.

(Ord. 191 § 2, 1949)

A. Applicants for police registration cards under the terms of this chapter are required to:

1. Furnish two satisfactory photographs of the applicant, one to be attached to applicant's registration card, and the other to be retained by the police department;

2. To file their fingerprint identification with the police department.

B. Those persons soliciting gifts of money or property for any purpose shall not be required to comply with subsection A of this section. Said applicants, however, shall furnish an affidavit stating clearly the full name and address of the person or group or association or corporation that they represent, the purpose for which the money or property is being solicited, and where and for what uses the money will be spent.

C. Registration cards may be renewed annually and shall be valid not longer than one year from the date of issuance stamped on the card.

(Ord. 191 § 3, 1949)

Persons engaged in, or acting as agents for firms operating under interstate commerce shall be required to register as provided in this chapter, and shall be issued an identification card without tax, upon satisfactory evidence of such method of operation, which bears the approval of the city attorney.

(Ord. 191 § 4, 1949)

Registration cards shall be given without charge to all applicants who have complied with Section 5.68.040 unless, at the discretion of the chief of police, any such applicant is deemed not to be a proper person to be permitted to go from house to house or upon any street or in any park or public place, or unless the proposed sales proposition includes some element of trickery, fraud or deceit, in which case, in the interest of the public safety and protection, the applicant shall not be registered, or registration card issued.

(Ord. 191 § 5, 1949)

Any person convicted of violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be punished by fine of not more than three hundred dollars, or by imprisonment of not more than three months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(Ord. 191 § 6, 1949)