Pico Rivera officials hope a new law advanced by the City Council last week will cut down on panhandling in the city.

The council unanimously gave initial approval for an ordinance banning panhandling in specific street medians and in parking lots after nightfall. It also prohibits panhandlers from intimidating, following or touching people. Violators would be fined between $100 and $500 or face a criminal charge.

If approved on a second vote, panhandling would also be banned at bus stops, near outdoor dining areas, areas where people are waiting in line, within 40 feet of an ATM and within 20 feet of shopping centers and private driveways.

The need for the ban, Pico Rivera officials say, comes down to safety: Panhandling on medians, for example, could increase distracted driving, and it’s “abusive,” according to the ordinance’s language, for people to beg for money from a captive audience, such as while people are waiting in line.

Pico Rivera officials crafted the ordinance because law enforcement officers are unable to regulate panhandling based on current city laws.

“Everybody has the right to ask, but when we’re looking at areas near ATMs, parking lots after dark, near public transit, outdoor dining — sometimes individuals get a little aggressive and it impedes the quality of life of our residents,” Mayor Gustavo Camacho said in a phone interview.

Many cities have similar restrictions on their books, including Whittier, Los Angeles, Redlands, Pomona and Pasadena, according to a UC Berkeley study, which refers to such laws as examples of “anti-homeless” ordinances on the rise in California cities.

“We identified a dramatic increase in the enactment and enforcement of anti-homeless laws in recent decades,” the report said. “We called these laws ‘anti-homeless’ laws because they target, are selectively enforced against, or disproportionately impact people experiencing homelessness.”

The report took cities to task because activities like panhandling are “life-sustaining” for many people experiencing homelessness — it’s a primary way they’re able to feed themselves, the report said.

There were 202 homeless people living in Pico Rivera during the latest point-in-time count earlier this year.

But Camacho said the Pico Rivera ordinance is all about striking a balance and pointed to the example of people asking for money on street medians.

It becomes a hazard not only for the drivers but the individuals driving,” he said. “It creates a public safety concern.”