While stopped at a busy Henrico County intersection this month, Hariet Newman was unnerved by a group of people wearing official-looking identification badges who were approaching cars for donations. Holding out cans, they told her they were collecting money for an out-of-state organization.

She was surprised when she saw a police car drive by without doing anything.

Because it was on a state road, there wasn't much the officer could do, said Lt. Doug Perry, a Henrico police spokesman.

Last year, the department received numerous complaints about a group aggressively soliciting cars at stoplights, he said.

"They were pretty smart in figuring out if they were in an intersection where at least one of the roadways was a state highway," Perry said. At its meeting today, the Henrico Board of Supervisors will introduce an ordinance that would prohibit people from standing in all highways to solicit contributions, distribute handbills, or sell merchandise to drivers or passengers in vehicles.

A violation would be considered a traffic infraction, punishable by a fine of up to $250.

Although some might view panhandlers and solicitors as an annoyance, safety is the bottom line, Perry said.

Newman said she supports the new law for that reason. "I don't think it's safe for a person to be standing in the middle of the street. It's good for the drivers because they don't have to worry about somebody falling off the median.

"It's just uncomfortable stopping at a light and having someone looking at you, waiting for you to give them something," she added.

Currently, Henrico can regulate such activity only on secondary highways owned and maintained by the county, such as Parham Road and Laburnum Avenue. Henrico and Arlington County are the only Virginia counties that maintain their own secondary roads.

During this year's General Assembly session, Henrico and Richmond sought and received authorization to adopt similar laws for all highways -- including state roads -- located within their boundaries.

Richmond has had an ordinance prohibiting solicitation from median strips since 1997. If the Henrico supervisors decide to move forward, a public hearing and a subsequent vote on the matter could take place at their Aug. 12 meeting.

The new ordinance also could affect newspaper hawkers. Independent contractors for the Richmond Times-Dispatch have been selling Sunday papers at a dozen street locations in eastern Henrico and Richmond since August, said David Kirkman, vice president of circulation.

"It's been very successful for us and for a lot of papers around the country," Kirkman said. "A lot of hawkers have regular customers who won't buy from anybody else."

Hanover and Chesterfield counties do not have laws against soliciting in highways, but Hanover plans to pursue legislation in the next General Assembly session. Contact Melodie N. Martin at (804) 649-6290 or mmartin@timesdispatch.com.