Vetoed by Governor Josh Stein

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that prohibits public camping and expands drug offenses committed near homeless service facilities in North Carolina.

Highlights:

• Classifies drug usage in a drug-free homeless service zone as a Class H felony (Sec. 1).

• Requires drug-free homeless service zones to display at least one visible sign at the exterior of the main entrance identifying the building as a drug-free homeless zone (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits a local government from authorizing or allowing any person to regularly engage in public camping or sleeping on any public property (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the governing board of a local government, by majority vote, to designate property owned by the local government to be used for the purposes of public camping or sleeping for the purposes of the following (Sec. 1):

• Ensuring the safety and security of the designated property and the persons lodging or residing on the designated property;

• Maintaining sanitation;

• Coordinating with the appropriate department, agency, or entity to provide access to behavioral health services, which must include substance abuse and mental health treatment resources; and

• Prohibiting illegal substance use and alcohol use on the designated property and enforcing the prohibition against such use.

• Requires the Department to certify the designated property 45 days after the submission from the local government (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes any owner of a business located in the local government’s jurisdiction, or the Attorney General to bring civil action against the local government to enjoin a violation (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that this act takes effect upon passage except where otherwise provided (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that prohibits public camping and expands drug offenses committed near homeless service facilities in North Carolina.

Highlights:

• Classifies drug usage in a drug-free homeless service zone as a Class H felony (Sec. 1).

• Requires drug-free homeless service zones to display at least one visible sign at the exterior of the main entrance identifying the building as a drug-free homeless zone (Sec. 1).

• Prohibits a local government from authorizing or allowing any person to regularly engage in public camping or sleeping on any public property (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the governing board of a local government, by majority vote, to designate property owned by the local government to be used for the purposes of public camping or sleeping for the purposes of the following (Sec. 1):

• Ensuring the safety and security of the designated property and the persons lodging or residing on the designated property;

• Maintaining sanitation;

• Coordinating with the appropriate department, agency, or entity to provide access to behavioral health services, which must include substance abuse and mental health treatment resources; and

• Prohibiting illegal substance use and alcohol use on the designated property and enforcing the prohibition against such use.

• Requires the Department to certify the designated property 45 days after the submission from the local government (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes any owner of a business located in the local government’s jurisdiction, or the Attorney General to bring civil action against the local government to enjoin a violation (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that this act takes effect upon passage except where otherwise provided (Sec. 3).

Full Bill Text