Next Wed., on Jan 21st, in the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee, HB 1091 will be heard in a public hearing. This bill is meant to require cities and towns to provide for a nonfinancial penalty that may be elected in place of a financial penalty for any ordinance or bylaw prohibiting sleeping or camping outdoors. Currently Keene’s fines are $157, compared to Nashua at $1000.
Sadly, for unhoused individuals, these fines only generate yet another unaffordable barrier to stability, particularly one that folks who are unhoused are least likely to be able to overcome.
Requiring a nonfinancial means of remedy for these violations, such as community service, verification of long-term housing or employment, etc., could make these unfortunate situations productive ones, help to lift people up, rather than push them deeper into debt and further instability.
This bill is sponsored by Rep. Jodi Newell – Keene, along with several other Democrats in both the House and Senate. Please take a moment to register your support of HB 1091 to the House of Representatives sign in portal. Fill in your name and address, then follow the prompts; the date is Jan. 21st; the committee is Criminal Justice and Public Safety; the bill is HB 1091 at 3:30; unless otherwise, you’re a member of the public and then that you support the bill. Hit “submit.”
Let’s give a helping hand to someone today!