A proposed bill that would prevent municipal officials from prohibiting homeless people from sleeping or begging in public spaces advanced through Connecticut’s Planning and Development Committee on Monday, April 6.
“An Act Prohibiting a Municipality from Imposing a Penalty for the Performance of Certain Activities of Daily Living,” or HB 5260, is meant to protect the rights of homeless people to “use or move freely in public places in the same manner as other persons.”
The bill explicitly protects homeless people’s rights to “Perform the following activities in a public place: (A) Sleep or rest; (B) eat or drink; (C) protect himself or herself from the elements; (D) access medical care; or (E) solicit food, water, money or other donations.” It also protects the rights of homeless people to live or sleep in motor or recreational vehicles that are legally parked in public places and use publicly accessible hygiene facilities.
In the context of this bill, a public space is either a place owned by a municipality or an area the general public can access. This bill allows exceptions for the inside of buildings, state-owned property “in the custody of the Department of Transportation,” commercial airports, and areas with nurseries or K-12 schools.
The bill also explicitly states, “nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a municipality from enacting or enforcing an ordinance to prohibit activities that endanger or are likely to endanger the health, welfare or safety of the public.”
The overwhelming majority of people who submitted written testimonies for the public hearing were in favor of this bill. More than 100 people submitted testimony in favor of this bill. In contrast, only 37 people submitted testimony opposing the proposed bill.
Among those who testified in support of the bill was Sarah Fox, CEO of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.
“We face a critical shortage of affordable housing and persistent inequities that disproportionately impact communities of color, older adults, people with disabilities, youth, and families. And the toll is devastating. This winter alone, we have learned of 20 deaths of people who were experiencing homelessness,” Fox wrote in her testimony. She went on to say, “All of us want safe, healthy, thriving neighborhoods, places where businesses can succeed, public spaces are welcoming, and people can count on one another. H.B. 5260 moves us toward that shared goal because it draws a clear line: no one should be punished for trying to survive sleeping, resting, or seeking shelter when they have nowhere else to go.”
In her testimony, Fox cited a study from DataHaven showing that most people entering homeless shelters became homeless because of affordability problems. This study relied on self-reported information that homeless people provided to shelters—meaning it does not report the driving forces of unsheltered homeless people, or people who sleep outside, in vehicles or abandoned buildings. That same report showed that the number of unsheltered homeless people has grown, both in total number and as a percentage of the homeless population in Connecticut.
Despite the language in the bill that allows towns to enforce laws that prohibit dangerous activities, officials from the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) opposed the bill, saying it was both an overreach of state authority and a safety risk. The organization submitted a written testimony, stating, “While we recognize and share the bill’s intent to address the humanitarian challenges faced by unhoused individuals, this legislation represents an overreach that undermines critical local authority, public safety, and community well-being.”
One of the concerns CCM voiced was that “in practice” the bill would prevent municipalities from enforcing “reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on activities—when concentrated or prolonged—create hazards.”
“By broadly restricting penalties, the bill could inadvertently protect behaviors that go beyond basic survival needs (e.g., repeated blocking of entrances, open fires in violation of codes, or aggressive panhandling that escalates to harassment),” CCM’s testimony states. “While the bill includes exceptions for public health/safety dangers, the vague language around ‘activities of daily living’ invites litigation and inconsistent enforcement, placing municipalities at risk of costly legal challenges.”
Others testifying in opposition alleged that homelessness is exacerbated by “fraud and corruption in Hartford” and further questioned the scope of HB5260’s “daily activity” language.
The proposed bill now needs to be voted on in both the House of Representatives and Senate before it could be signed into law.
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Now if they all contract the plague, will they still be left on the street?
When are the lawmakers in Connecticut going to learn. They are trying to become like California which is a failed state. I believe the Republicans will win the Governor election because of how badly the Democrats have failed that state. Allowing homeless people to live in parks and panhandle etc is not solving the homeless problem
The problem is that more people are homeless because of the Democrat policies like too high taxes too high minimum wage requirements that are forcing businesses to leave the state Less businesses less jobs more homeless.
We have the second highest electric rates in the country again due to green energy initiatives. Now they are looking at a tax the richest population. When they leave the tax burden will shift to the next level of income down. Higher income middle class
Fix the stupid Democratic policies in this state and have a free market society and you will begin to fix the homeless problem. People will be back working lower electric rates etc. make it more affordable to live in this state. Encouraging people to live on handouts has broken our inner cities. Wake up Connecticut
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. San Francisco in CT. Do we not learn? We need to address the problem of homelessness and not enable the behavior.
This is insane. The worse part of downtown parks and main streets are the homeless. They scare away shoppers and diners looking to spend money downtown. San Francisco is a cesspool thanks to the homeless as is LA. Venice Beach is absolutely disgusting and now it is out of control for the homeowners. So lets bring this to Connecticut then! We are actually going down this road?
Many people living on the street suffer from mental or physical health, addictions or all of these co-morbidities. The state is utterly negligent in funding to meet their needs for food, housing and treatment. But if they want to live on the street, as if that were simply a rational preference, then no one should stand in their way. The state’s “hands off civil rights” approach to this problem disguises indifference to people and loyalty to more compelling political considerations. Shameful!
So homeless camps are allowed where folks take their children. Connecticut has lost its way…
This is just such another NGO money grab. So many homeless people have such addiction issues, but don’t worry-certain lawmakers would like to make drug taking areas where they will be monitored by paid watchers to jump in if anyone needs Narcan. Can’t wait for the needle parks and waste everywhere.
I would have submitted testimony for a NO to this if more people knew about it! This is horrible! As it is, we have too many illegal persons in houses with illegal apartments, too many cars. Now we would have people being able to put tents up near schools, and parks. Or any available space! I think those that want this should allow them to sleep in their yards!