I was just reading through the codes for my city (Irving, TX) and discovered something interesting: A person or organization must register with the City Secretary's Office before they can go house-to-house for religious reasons (AKA, Jehovah's Witnesses going door-to-door).
ARTICLE IV. RELIGIOUS SOLICITATIONS
Sec. 27-23. Registration requirement.
(a) It shall be unlawful to conduct any religious solicitations in any office building or any public or private place, or by house-to-house canvass unless the person and religious organization conducting religious solicitations shall first have registered with the office of city secretary in compliance with this article.
(b) It shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section if a person, organization, society, association, or corporation conducting a religious solicitation obtains a charitable permit in compliance with Article III of this chapter or a commercial permit in compliance with Article II of this chapter.
(Ord. No. 4177, § 2, 7-28-83)
Sec. 27-24. Form of registration.
(a) A religious solicitor required to register hereunder shall first register in person with the city secretary's office giving the following information:
(1) Name of registrant and his permanent address;
(2) Name of the person, organization, society, association or corporation the registrant represents and the telephone number and address of its principal office;
(3) Duration and location of the proposed solicitations;
(4) Method or methods to be used in conducting the solicitations; and
(5) Approximate number of participants.
(b) Registration expires after one (1) year and must be renewed annually. If a change occurs in any of the information submitted with the registration, the registrant or organization shall notify the city secretary's office of the change as soon as possible.
(Ord. No. 4177, § 2, 7-28-83)
"As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible" - The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
Believe in yourself, not mythology.
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