Homeless restriction bills advance in Mississippi House. See reactions
Two pieces of legislation aiming to limit where homeless people can sleep and where they can solicit donations from the public have advanced in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
On Tuesday, the House Judiciary A Committee passed two bills, House Bill 1197 and 1203, respectively. Combined, they would require any person soliciting for money or anything of value in a roadway to acquire a permit with a local police department and also prohibit them from "camping on public property."
"It's a safety issue," said Rep. Shanda Yates, I-Jackson. "We limit (HB 1197) to just roadways. We're not talking about sidewalks or any other areas with that. It's literally just the roadways and the median. It is a public safety issue."
Yates, an independent from North Jackson, said HB 1197 and 1203 came about from hearings held over the summer and fall aimed at finding ways to improve the City of Jackson, the state's capital city.
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Yates also said she knew of several nonprofits within Jackson looking to address homeless people's need for housing.
"(They) are collectively meeting and working with United Way on putting up signs concerning giving to United Way, as opposed to handing money directly to panhandlers," Yates said. "(We want to) collectively give as a community, so that United Way can go out and make a collective effort to help those who need the help the most."
HB 1197 states: "'Solicitation or solicit' means to request money or anything of value as a donation or contribution while standing, sitting or positioned in any manner on any road, street, highway median, traffic island or highway intersection; or to request any other thing of value in exchange for any goods, wares, merchandise or thing of value while standing, sitting or positioned in any manner on any road, street, highway median, traffic island or highway intersection."
Actions by Yates and Hood follow a national trend of lawmakers passing bills to address homelessness related issues.
That includes in the City of Jackson. In December 2024, an ordinance was introduced that would have effectively banned homeless encampments on city and public property. But it was delayed "indefinitely" by Ward 7 Councilwoman and Council President Virgi Lindsay, who initially introduced the ordinance, after deciding that more discussion needed to be had with stakeholders, including nonprofits and programs helping the homeless population.
Jackson homelessness ban debate: Jackson City Council President delays vote on ordinance banning homeless encampments. See why
Similar ordinances have also been proposed in other cities in Mississippi, including Ocean Springs and Southaven.
Jackson's proposed ordinance was modeled off of another that was approved in Grants Pass, Oregon, which was upheld in a 6-3 decision by the United States Supreme Court earlier this year. The Supreme Court ruled the Grants Pass ordinance as constitutional, stating that people without homes can be arrested and fined for sleeping in public spaces.
The Supreme Court's decision overturned a lower court's decision, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that banning camping in areas lacking sufficient shelter beds amounts to cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment.
HB 1203 sponsor and Judiciary A Chairman Joey Hood, R-Ackerman, told the Clarion Ledger he is not sure yet when he will take up the two bills on the House floor. He has until Feb. 13 to pass it out of the House chamber and send it over to the Senate for further consideration.
Grant McLaughlin covers the Legislature and state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Homeless restriction bills move up in Mississippi Legislature
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