Eugene City Council is revisiting a proposal that would ban drivers from giving money to panhandlers in traffic.

Under the ordinance, drivers would not be allowed to hand items to pedestrians unless legally parked. Violators could be fined up to $50.

At a City Council work session last week, Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner said the goal of the proposal would be to educate drivers, not cite them.

Skinner said panhandling creates risks. He said he's seen people walk into the road or across lanes of traffic to accept donations, causing near-misses.

"All it takes in my mind is a single distracted driver to change and alter the course of a life," said Skinner. "And that concerns me."

Eugene previously discussed adopting a ban on these transfers in 2019, but City Council ultimately reject

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