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Bill to replace fines for camping/sleeping outside with non‑monetary remedies draws strong testimony and implementation questions
Summary
HB 1091 would require municipalities that forbid unauthorized camping or sleeping outside to offer non‑monetary penalties — community service, enrollment in services, or verification of housing — instead of or alongside fines; sponsors and advocates argued it is more humane, while municipal officials warned of administrative burdens and legal mechanics.
Representative Jod Null introduced HB 1091, urging the committee to require municipalities that adopt bans on unauthorized camping or sleeping outdoors to provide non‑monetary remedies — such as community service, verified connection to services, or verification of secured temporary housing — as alternatives to fines up to the existing $1,000 statutory maximum.
Null and co‑sponsors framed the bill as a humane reform, noting that monetary fines imposed on people without means simply stack debt and worsen housing instability. Supporters included Representative Jonah Wheeler, advocacy groups and people with lived experience who described being fined while lacking shelter and how fines can escalate into deeper system involvement.
Municipal officials and the New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) testified in opposition or raised concerns about implementation. NHMA said municipalities already have local authority over penalties and warned the bill would mandate what towns must adopt if they choose to create camping ordinances; officials noted capacity constraints (limited welfare officers, shelter availability), enforcement mechanics, how administrative enforcement and appeals would work, and whether elected municipal bodies or administrative systems would be responsible for verifying non‑monetary compliance.
Committee members probed avenues to place enabling language in statutory sections that address bylaws, administrative enforcement, or citation/plea‑by‑mail systems. Witnesses noted practical timing concerns (shelter closures and overflow capacity) and emphasized the need for locally feasible options. Testimony from people with lived experience described real harms from fines and urged passage as an interim step toward addressing root causes.
No final committee action was recorded; senators signaled support for the policy goal but requested work on statutory placement, administrative mechanics, and safeguards for both municipalities and people experiencing homelessness.
