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N.C. House passes bill creating drug-free homeless service zones amid provider objections
Summary
House Bill 4 37 passed 76-36 to establish drug-free homeless service zones with felony penalties for dealers and, in some cases, operators who 'intentionally allow' drug activity. Homeless-service providers and some lawmakers warned the measure could stigmatize residents and expose providers to criminal liability.
The North Carolina House on April 15 passed House Bill 4 37, creating new criminal penalties for manufacturing, selling or delivering controlled substances in designated "drug-free homeless service zones" and exposing facility operators to felony charges if they "intentionally allow" such activity. The bill passed on its third reading and will be sent to the Senate after a recorded second-reading vote of 76 to 36.
Representative Bridal of Lincoln, the bill sponsor, said the measure would protect vulnerable people who gather at shelters and supportive-service sites by discouraging dealers from targeting those…
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