The Lake Charles City Council unanimously approved changes to the city’s panhandling ordinance at the meeting on Wednesday.

City Attorney David Morgan said the changes will catch the city up with state law. In August, a new law making panhandling on most Louisiana streets went into effect. Act 678 prohibits solicitation on public rights-of-way — public sidewalks and roads — due to safety concerns, in addition to interstates.

Morgan said there were two small changes to the city’s ordinance. One makes it unlawful to “solicit money or anything of value on any interstate, highways, public right-of-way, or any entrance or exit ramp of any interstate highway.”

The other changed the definition of “to solicit money or anything of value.” Act 678 added the definition of “anything of value” to include “cash, currency, coin or any other financial instrument given to a person.”

Councilmember Luvertha August, District B, asked if the city will still be able to offer exemptions for organizations’ fundraising. Morgan confirmed those situations would be “part of the exemptions.”

Recreation wins

The Council approved the city’s operating and capital budget for Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2025. Before voting, Councilmember Mark Eckard, District G, gave the Lake Charles Recreation and Park Department their laurels.

The City offers youth football, basketball, soccer, and baseball and softball.

He pointed out that the amount of recreational youth teams increased from 11 in 2022-23 to 35 in 2023-24. The number of participants increased from 120 to 525.

He called these gains made on a limited budget, and the focus on recreation, “money well spent.”

“To see that dramatic increase of kids playing sports, to me its just amazing,” he said. “That’s huge, the impact we’re having on our youth.”

He also noted that participation in recreational activities over the summer increased from 500 to 1500.

“To me, it’s just astronomical, and I just wanted to point that out and say job well done.”