Controversial bill banning homeless camps on public property reaches Gov. Little’s desk
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - A bill that could have major ramifications for the homeless population is now on Governor Little's desk.
Senate Bill 11-41 bans camping and sleeping on public property in cities with over 100,000 people. The bill created controversy while in the Idaho Legislature as critics say the legislation unfairly targets the state’s most vulnerable.
The bill's sponsor, Senator Codi Galloway, R-Boise, says the legislation will protect both public spaces and the homeless.
"Public camping creates a plethora of problems, including public safety issues, sanitation and health concerns, and increased crime… we do not let people live like this. We get them help, and we help rescue them and get them back into society," Galloway told members of the Senate.
For more background on the debate in the Idaho Senate, click HERE.
The legislation passed the Idaho House in a 59-10 vote on Tuesday, March 25.
Opponents say criminalizing camping will do more harm than good.
Representative Todd Achilles, D-Boise, debated that the bill doesn't address the issues leading to homelessness, but instead "moves the problem around."
Achille's language mirrors the words of local and state homelessness advocates when the 2024 U.S. Supreme Court Johnson v. Grants Pass decision first allowed cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outdoors in areas without shelters. Advocates called the decision a "double-edged sword," warning that cities apathetic to the homeless population could "sweep them under the rug."
According to data referenced by Achillies, some of the leading causes of homelessness include housing costs and domestic violence.
"I think we're all agreed in this body that nobody should be homeless living on the streets. It's unhealthy, it's dangerous, it's traumatic. It often leads people to spiral into worse situations. We don't want folks camping along the greenbelt," said Achilles. "...This is not the solution. This is only going to make it worse."
