Idaho’s biggest cities would need to crack down on homelessness under Senate Bill 1141, which is now heading to the House floor.
Any city with a population over 100,000 would have to have an ordinance banning outdoor camping at any time under the proposal. Idaho’s attorney general could sue cities that aren’t following the law, with $10,000 civil penalties levied per violation.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Codi Galloway (R-Boise), said it will not criminalize homelessness.
“This has nothing to do with that. All it’s asking is for the cities to manage this population and they can choose how they want to do that,” Galloway said.
That’s part of the reason why Boise opposes the measure.
The city has had an anti-camping ordinance since 1993, which is enforced from sunset to sunrise.
Kathy Griesmyer, a lobbyist for the city of Boise, said the bill doesn’t specify a similar timeline.
“It would require 24/7 heightened enforcement by law enforcement in order to demonstrate that we are complying without authorizing any public camping,” Griesmyer said.
Boise’s new police chief, Chris Dennison, testified that reassigning officers to enforce this proposal would take them away from other duties, like ensuring traffic safety.
“This bill will separate families from their children and make it harder for the unhoused to regain stability by saddling them with criminal records and debt,” said Jodi Peterson-Stigers, executive director of Interfaith Sanctuary.
Rev. Bill Roscoe, president of the Christian-based Boise Rescue Mission, however, supported the bill.
“Certainly the overall health of anyone who sleeps outside in the elements is going to suffer, especially children, the elderly and anyone with existing, chronic illness,” Roscoe said.
He believed laws like this would direct more people to his shelters.
The bill already passed the Senate and just needs approval from the House to advance to the governor’s desk.
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