House approves measure setting stepwise outreach before citations for camping on public land

Representative Ireland, sponsor of Senate Bill 197, said the bill aims to connect people experiencing homelessness with services rather than criminalize them. "This bill is not about punishing people for being homeless. We are never going to arrest or jail our way out of this problem," he said, and described a multi-step process officers must follow before citations can be issued.

The measure requires an officer who finds someone camping or sleeping on public land to first assess whether the person qualifies for an emergency mental-health detention. If not, the officer must provide a warning and offer transport to a nearby facility within five miles that provides temporary respite and housing services. The sponsor emphasized that "no one can be cited unless such a facility exists in the first place and is available to receive them and they have to refuse that offer." If a facility is unavailable or refuses, the bill directs officers to contact a local crisis…