Austin Still Struggling To Find Places For Homeless People As It Begins Enforcing Public Camping Ban kut.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kut.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Texas is poised to outlaw homeless encampments across the state after the House signed off on the Senate’s changes to House Bill 1925, sending it to the governor for final approval.
The bill would make camping in an unapproved public place a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500. Cities may not opt out of the ban or discourage enforcement of it.
Abbott has signaled that he would sign the bill. He’s been a vocal critic of Austin officials for lifting the city’s homeless encampment ban two years ago. Lawmakers cited that decision as motivation for introducing this bill. Earlier this month, 57% of Austin residents voted to reinstate the city’s ban after critics said it sparked the spread of encampments in the city.
A homeless encampment under I-35 near the Austin Police Department headquarters on March 23, 2020.
House Bill 1925 which would make public camping a Class C misdemeanor, a crime punishable by a fine of up to $500 passed through the Texas House last week and now heads to the Senate.
The bill would ban homeless people from sleeping in public outdoor spaces, as millions of Americans are vulnerable to evictions and housing insecurity due to pandemic-related economic hardship.
If the legislation is approved, cities could lose state funding for failing to enforce the ban. The vote also coincides with Austin voters decision to reinstate criminal penalties for camping in public spaces.
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Trash bags and suitcases sit on the sidewalk at Camp Rhonda, a homeless encampment in Dallas on Feb. 23, 2021. The city told the camp s residents that they needed to clear out because the area wasn t zoned for residential living.
Texas lawmakers are considering bills that would ban homeless encampments statewide, which some critics say would be harmful to individuals experiencing homelessness.
The proposed bills HB 1925 and SB 987 would make camping in unapproved public places a Class C misdemeanor, punishable with up to a $500 fine.
Legislation such as SB 987 came after Gov. Greg Abbott declared homeless encampments would be a priority item taken up during this legislative session.
Texas lawmakers consider bills to prohibit homeless encampments statewide
Juan Pablo Garnham, The Texas Tribune
April 27, 2021
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Gabriela Roque loads up her belongings into a van with The Other Ones Foundation, a non-profit helping people move their belongings before TxDOT crews arrived to cleanup homeless encampments Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019, in Austin, Texas.Godofredo A. Vásquez/Staff photographer
The Texas Legislature is considering bills that would ban homeless encampments statewide, almost two years after the city of Austin decided to lift a similar local ban a move that critics say triggered the proliferation of tent cities throughout Austin.
If lawmakers approve the legislation and Gov. Greg Abbott signs it into law, it would become the latest instance of the Republican-led state government overruling local ordinances. State lawmakers also are trying to stop cities from decreasing police funding after the “defund the police” movement sparked b