Updated and expanded – June 2016 California’s New Vagrancy Laws The Growing Enactment and Enforcement of Anti-Homeless Laws in the Golden State

“In the 2015-16 California State Legislative Session, Senator Carol Liu introduced Senate Bill 876, which would have afforded people who are homeless the right to use public spaces without discrimination based on housing status and without being subject to criminal or civil sanctions.  During an April 2016 Senate Transportation and Housing Committee Hearing, SB 876 died ……..In fact, more than 110 California cities registered their formal opposition to the bill, along with a number of county boards of supervisors, business improvement districts, corporations and chambers of commerce. Without concrete action on criminalization, hundreds of thousands of Californians experiencing homelessness will continue to be punished for life-sustaining activities which they have no choice but to undertake in public…..”

Updated and expanded – June 2016 California’s New Vagrancy Laws The Growing Enactment and Enforcement of Anti-Homeless Laws in the Golden State