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MISSOURI – A new law will go into effect in 2023 that would prohibit unauthorized sleeping or camping outdoors on public property.
Over the summer, Missouri passed a law that includes several provisions about homeless shelters and funding. However, local advocates were concerned with one line in particular:
The statute reads: “This act provides that no person shall be permitted to use state-owned lands for unauthorized sleeping, camping, or long-term shelters. Any violation shall be a Class C misdemeanor; however the first offense shall be a warning with no citation.”
As KCTV reports, some advocates against the law, including the CEO of reStart, were concerned the law targets those who are homeless. Those against the bill also argued that local shelters already struggle to find space for those seeking help.
You can read the full bill here.
The section on homelessness in the bill includes several directives, including redirecting funding from permanent housing programs to “assist individuals with substance use, mental health treatment, and other services like short-term housing.”
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