Criminalizing Homelessness (Various)

HB 1431: Street Camping, authored by Rep. Doug Miller
Status: Failed

SB 285: Housing matters, authored by Sen. Carrasco
Status: Passed through Committee

These bills would make it a crime to camp, sleep, or shelter on public property. They specify that law enforcement officers give anyone who violates this law a warning and offer to transport them to receive services or stay in a shelter. If the person does not move in a specified timeframe, they can be charged with a Class C misdemeanor (48 hours in the case of SB 285, 24 hours in HB 1431).

If passed, these bills would also strip away independent judgement from local jurisdictions by prohibiting them from adopting “sanctuary policies.” And they would give the attorney general, businesses, and residents a legal basis to sue any local government that creates exceptions.

We oppose this bill because homelessness is a complex issue that can’t be solved by criminalizing the people affected. State legislators should focus on addressing the root causes of homelessness. And local governments need the flexibility to respond to homelessness in a way that makes sense for their communities.