While Gainesville has already enacted its own ordinance against panhandling, the county may enact a law that would extend the ban against panhandling to include unincorporated parts of Alachua County.
County commissioners approved on Tuesday the advertisement of the ordinance and a public hearing to be held at a later date.
Mark Sexton, Alachua County spokesman, said the ordinance is very similar to Gainesville?s.
Both ordinances prohibit any exchange of money between drivers and people who are on the street.
According to the ordinance available on the county?s Web site, the measure was designed in the interest of public safety. The same argument was used for the Gainesville ordinance when the city commission passed it. Both ordinances also prohibit drivers from giving any money to panhandlers.
