JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Several members of the Jacksonville City Council put together an ordinance that would amend the city's traffic code.
The amendment would make it unlawful to loiter and panhandle at any designated roadway. Both the driver and the panhandler would face $100 fines for each violation.
After the fourth violation, an arrest could be made.
Councilman Al Ferraro, who co-sponsored the ordinance along with Council Mmeber Kevin Carrico, said it's about traffic safety.
"We've had people reach into the cars, pulling on door handles," Ferraro explained. "It's not just the acts of standing there. It's the - walking in front, walking between us, bringing children, it's bringing animals - pets."
Ordinance 2022-574 says "it is unlawful for any person to engage in any physical interaction between a pedestrian and an occupant of a motor vehicle, including but not limited to the transfer of any product or material, while the motor vehicle is not legally parked and is located on the traveled portion of a designated roadway."
If Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry were to sign off on this, Ferraro said the ordinance would not go into effect immediately. The council member said there would be a public warning.
According to the proposed amendment "for the first thirty (30) days after the effective date, the Sheriff shall conduct a public education campaign and only issue warnings to violators."
To A. Wellington Barlow, a private attorney in Jacksonville, something such as this crosses a moral line.
"Because if were in their position I would want somebody to help me, quite frankly, that's the bottom line," Barlow said, who is passionate about helping others. Especially, people without a home.
"One of the councilman saying - we need a bill like this to protect these people from getting into accidents, that's not what this is about," Barlow added. "These are regular people with regular problems."
Ferraro told First Coast News he expects city officials to discuss more on the possible amendment during the next city council meeting.