Every year they raise thousands of dollars to help folks with muscular distrophy. But local fire fighters' annual "Fill the Boot" drive may soon get the boot.

It stems from Gainesville's ban on street side panhandling. The measure would ban all street side solicitation. That includes the firefighters' efforts for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

"For the City of Gainesville to group people into the same ordinance would be an atrocity," says Muscular Dystrophy patient Sam Taylor.

But at least one Gainesville commissioner says it's necessary action.

"Right now the costs of panhandling outweigh the benefit of other activity," says Gainesville City Commissioner Ed Braddy.

Braddy says they cannot choose to limit one form of speech, and not another.

State lawmakers just passed a bill to make it easier for non profit organizations to raise money in street side solicitation.

It's not clear yet how that will effect the city's ban. The city attorney is drafting the ordinance, commissioners will vote twice on it before anything takes effect.

By: Anne Imanuel WCJB TV20 News