Senate Panel Kills Bipartisan Bill to Ban Homeless Camps When Shelter Space is Available

Opponents said the bill, modeled on similar laws in San Diego, is inhumane and would ‘further entrench people within the criminal legal system.’

Homeless people on Jones Street in San Francisco on Nov. 13, 2023. Nearly 8,000 people now live on the streets in the city. Jason Henry/AFP via Getty Images

Democratic lawmakers on the Senate Public Safety Committee rejected a bipartisan bill on April 16 that would have prohibited homeless individuals from camping on streets or sidewalks when shelter space is available.

The measure, Senate Bill 1011—introduced by Republican Leader Sen. Brian W. Jones—also would have banned encampments within 500 feet of schools, in open spaces, and at transit stops.