ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - For Kevin Pusateri, panhandling, which he does on a daily basis, may become significantly more difficult after District 6 County Councilman Michael Archer said he plans to propose a measure or ordinance that would make panhandling in certain areas of the road illegal.

“It's going to prohibit people from walking in the lanes, it's going to prohibit people on the medians,” Archer said.

Pusateri said he has seen other panhandlers grab money or food from drivers while in traffic and agrees that it can become dangerous. But he also said it’s anyone's right to panhandle from anywhere.

“It's your First Amendment right to fly a sign,” Pusateri said. “But they're making it difficult by telling you where you can and can't do it.”

Pusateri said he was arrested last week for panhandling too long at the same intersection in Bridgton.

“I was unaware of that, and he arrested me, basically on I would say, loitering slash jaywalking,” Pusateri said.

Pusateri said he started panhandling six months ago when times got tough and he found himself homeless.

“I lost my house that I was living in, I was taking care of my dad, he was on hospice and he had a reverse mortgage on the house and I was not aware of that and the bank took the house and kind of left me out in the open and had to do something real quick and I did,” Pusateri said.

Pusateri said he did not have a birth certificate or ID to get a job, but recently was able to acquire one after his arrest and plans to look for a job soon, and will do what he can to get there.

“Not all panhandlers are alcoholics, drug addicts; I do neither, I keep a roof over my head and food in my stomach. That's all I'm here for and till I get a job, I'm going to continue doing this,” Pusateri said.

Councilman Archer said the measure aims more for keeping panhandlers safe, away from roadways, and providing resources to those who need them to help them get off the streets.

“Somebody should not depend on their livelihood to put themselves in that danger,” Archer said.

“Offering them mental health resources, offering them substance abuse resources and that's what I want to extend to these people in addition to keeping them off the streets and keeping them safe.”

Archer said under the measure, citations would be issued by county police, but they are working on the correct verbiage for the final proposal to ensure it can be upheld legally.

Archer said he plans to propose it at next week's meeting, from there it will be read twice, and voted on twice, where it will need a council vote of at least four votes to pass.