City Council Passes New Panhandling Ordinance - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

SPOKANE, Wash. - Working with local charities, city council members came up with a compromise that will improve safety downtown and will not effect their fundraising efforts. 

Listening to public testimony for nearly 3 hours, council members voted  in favor of the amended version of the vehicle interference ordinance by a count of 6 To 1

The measure makes soliciting for money in major arterials and intersections in downtown Spokane between Boone and 7th and Maple and Hamilton illegal. 

This revised ordinance only includes the downtown corridor instead of the entire city that was in the original ordinance. 

Panhandlers will face a misdemeanor including up to a $1,000 fine and 60 days in jail if convicted. 

Charities like the Spokane Guild School Penny Drive and the MDA Fill-The-Boot campaign will not be affected because they are outside of the panhandling restricted-area. 

Ultimately council members said it came down to public safety and this compromise will keep cars from stopping in the streets while still allowing charities to raise money here in the city. 

The new ordinance will now go to the mayor for his signature