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Wales Online
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Wales Online
Welsh plans to tackle major issue 'could also be a way forward for England'
Welsh plans to tackle major issue 'could also be a way forward for England' It has been described as a 'turning point' in how Wales tackles the problem A new bill could 'fundamentally change' how homelessness is tackled in Wales (Image: Kypros via Getty Images ) A new Welsh Government bill could "fundamentally change" the way homelessness is dealt with in the country. The aim is to focus on prevention and to provide more tools to support people into longer-term homes. The Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Bill is centred around prioritising prevention and stopping people from getting into a situation where homelessness is likely. The Bill focuses on a multi-agency response to homelessness, bringing public services together to respond to the varied causes and consequences of homelessness. The Welsh government has said that the bill is rooted in evidence and the lived experience of those who have been homeless and is a vital step towards achieving a long-term ambition of ending homelessness in Wales. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Key elements of the Bill include transforming the homelessness system in Wales so that it focusses on earlier identification and prevention, targeting action at those most at risk. In particular, it will also provide the opportunity to end homelessness amongst young people leaving care and focussing on a multi-agency response to homelessness, bringing Welsh public services together to respond to the varied causes and consequences of homelessness. The Salvation Army's Andrew Connell and Jez Bushnell have now argued that England should now follow suit. Article continues below Writing an article for the Big Issue, they said: 'In Wales, a 2023 white paper on homelessness announced the Welsh government's intention to abolish priority need – but to do it over time, allowing the establishment of services and resources required to make it work. 'We hope that a homelessness bill, to be introduced in the Senedd later this week, will translate that intention into law.' They added: 'We think the Welsh model of abolition over time could be a way forward for England. Wales has extended priority need to people who are 'street homeless'– a wide definition that includes those who are at risk of having to sleep rough as well as those who actually are. 'The Salvation Army is calling for England to follow this lead, and also extend priority need to people who are survivors of modern slavery in the same way that it already applies to people who have survived domestic violence.' Discussing how the bill will affect Wales, the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, said: 'This Bill marks a turning point in how Wales tackles homelessness. 'I'm proud to introduce legislation that not only changes systems but will also transform lives. 'Every person deserves a safe place to call home, and these reforms bring us closer to making that a reality across Wales. 'I'm particularly pleased about what this means for young care leavers. By bringing housing and social services teams together, we'll ensure these young people - who are our responsibility - get the support they need. 'Ending homelessness in Wales isn't just an aspiration - it's achievable if we work together to spot warning signs early and step in with the right support before crisis hits. This Bill gives us the tools to make that happen.' Article continues below
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
Federal appeals court upholds ruling against Alabama panhandling laws
A homeless man sleeping on the street. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld a lower court ruling that declared two Alabama panhandling laws unconstitutional. (Kypros/Getty Images) A three-judge panel of the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld a lower court ruling that found two Alabama laws criminalizing panhandling unconstitutional. Citing existing legal precedents, U.S. Circuit Judge Elizabeth L. Branch wrote in the unanimous opinion that First Amendment protections of speech apply to the act of begging. 'Thus, the begging statute's applications, which are solely to begging, are impermissible, and the pedestrian solicitation statute's applications, which are to begging and other constitutionally protected speech, are impermissible,' Branch stated in her opinion. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Messages were sent to Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the defendant in the lawsuit. Messages were also left with the Alabama Attorney General's Office, which represented the state, and the Southern Poverty Law Center, which represented plaintiff Jonathan Singleton, and others in the suit. The initial lawsuit challenged two statutes. The first prohibits a person from standing on the highway and asking those in a vehicle for money, a job or other 'business.' Violating that statute is punishable by up to 10 days in jail and a $100 fine. The second prevents people from loitering in public spaces 'for the purpose of begging,' which carries a penalty of up to 30 days in jail and a $200 fine. Singleton was cited six times for allegedly violating the laws in Montgomery. A lower court ruled in Singleton's favor in March 2023 and issued a permanent injunction against ALEA's enforcement of the law. The agency appealed the lower court decision to the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Attorneys from the Southern Poverty Law Center, who represented Singleton and the individuals affected, and the Alabama Attorney General's Office argued the case before a panel of three judges with the 11th Circuit in December. Alabama Deputy Solicitor General Robert Overing argued in court that begging specifically is not protected speech based on the First Amendment and that the state could regulate the activity and impose penalties on those who violate rules set by the government. He cited a law passed in the state of New York in 1788 and an action by former President James Madison in 1812 to penalize those who loitered in public spaces. The Southern Poverty Law Center cited Smith v. Fort Lauderdale, a 1999 decision by the 11th Circuit that upheld a local law banning panhandling on part of a sidewalk, but said that panhandling laws must be narrowly tailored to avoid infringing on the First Amendment. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals then applied that same standard to other cases involving panhandling. The Alabama Legislature revised the statute concerning begging in public places during the 2023 session by approving HB 24, sponsored by Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Matthews, that makes the first arrest for loitering a violation and subsequent infractions a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail and a $500 fine. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
