Panhandlers would have to buy a license, keep changing locations and stay away from automated teller machines under a proposed ordinance making its way through Santa Fe city committees.

Police Chief Aric Wheeler says an assistant city attorney found a previous ordinance against asking strangers for money unconstitutional, so it has not been enforced in recent years.

The rewrite by the City Attorney's Office would give "us back that ability to enforce this law, which is a great tool for us in law enforcement to deal with some of these individuals who are approaching people at ATMs and are aggressively panhandling," he said.

Wheeler said panhandlers are most active around the area of the St. Michael's Drive and Cerrillos Road intersection, and at the filling station near Smith's grocery on Cerrillos Road.

The proposed amendment, which has yet to find a sponsor, would require panhandlers to buy a license for $10 a year, move to a new spot every two hours and stay at least 20 feet away from ATMs.

It would prohibit panhandling at bus stops, in a public-transportation vehicle or facility, in or on any private vehicle on a public right of way or in a sidewalk cafe.

Also banned would be "aggressive" panhandling, including touching a person without his consent, seeking money from people who are standing in line or waiting to be admitted to a commercial establishment, blocking a person's path on a sidewalk, roadway or the entrance of a building, following a person who walks away, using profane or abusive language or gestures, panhandling before sunrise or after sunset, or panhandling in groups of two or more.

The proposed ordinance deals mainly with panhandling on public property, but it also prohibits panhandling on private property unless the property owner grants permission.

At Tuesday's meeting of the Public Safety Committee, member Frank Stuto said he has had his own experiences with panhandlers at gasoline stations.

"I was filling my vehicle with gas when a person got off a bus, looked at me in the eye, went around like he was going to bother me ... and comes up behind me and he says he wants money," he said. "So I think filling stations are one of the worst places to be panhandled even for money for gas or for something to drink."

Committee member Mike Mier, former superintendent of schools, suggested banning panhandling on public school campuses and asked Jeanne Price, city legislative liaison, to bring the revised ordinance back to the committee next month.

In response to questions from Councilor Ron Trujillo about how the revisions might affect schoolchildren selling magazine subscriptions or candy door-to-door, Price said that would be addressed in a separate ordinance that is still being written and would probably be submitted to the committee next month.

Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.