State lawmakers decided to table a bill to criminalize homelessness after hearing Iowans speak out against it. The bill would have made unauthorized sleeping in public places a misdemeanor punishable by fine or jail time and forced houseless people into designated camps and parking lots.
Senate Study Bill 3175 was copied from a piece of legislation by The Cicero Institute, a Texas-based conservative think tank. Many of the speakers were local community and professional advocates for houseless people, and they emphasized to lawmakers that the bill directly contradicts best practices for mitigating poverty.
@iowastartingline A bill that would criminalize #homelessness and force people into camps was discussed today in the #Iowa ♬ original sound – Iowa Starting Line
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