INDIANAPOLIS — Last summer, Leonard Street in Fountain Square became home to dozens of unhoused Hoosiers who set up camp. Many neighborhood residents were unhappy about it. Now, a bill moving through the Indiana Statehouse would make encampments like that illegal.
“The goal of Senate Bill 285 is not to criminalize homelessness,” said State Sen. Cyndi Carrasco, R-Indianapolis, and author of the bill.
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Bill would make outdoor sleeping illegal
But homeless advocates believe the bill does criminalize it. The legislation would make it illegal to camp, sleep or use public land for long-term shelter without permission. Law enforcement officers would first issue a warning, and if individuals don’t comply within 48 hours, they could be charged with a misdemeanor…