A contentious proposal to outlaw camping and sleeping on state and local government property is now headed to the Indiana House floor, setting up a high-stakes fight over how the state handles homelessness in public spaces. Senate Bill 285 creates a warn-then-charge process that can escalate to a Class C misdemeanor if someone stays in the same spot after 48 hours, and an amendment could let officers seek emergency mental-health detention for people deemed "gravely disabled." Backers say the plan is a doorway into services; critics warn it could fill jails and stretch already limited shelter space past the breaking point.
What the bill would change
Under the language of SB 285, camping, sleeping or using land owned by the state or a political subdivision for long-term shelter would be prohibited unless that land is specifically authorized for that use. Before issuing any citation, officers would have to give a warning and offer transportation to an authorized shelter or service, according to the Indiana General Assembly. If the person is still at the location, or within 300 feet of it, more than 48 hours later, a knowing or intentional violation becomes a Class C misdemeanor, a charge that carries up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500. The proposal also directs local law-enforcement agencies to report street-camping arrests to the state police and adds new reporting requirements tied to Continuum of Care funding and state housing oversight.
Supporters frame it as a compassionate crackdown
SB 285's author, Sen. Cyndi Carrasco, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle the measure "started from a place of compassion" and is meant to steer people toward treatment, housing and problem-solving courts instead of focusing only on punishment. Supporters at the hearing, including a visiting fellow from the Cicero Institute and local business groups, argued the bill would give law enforcement clearer tools to clear unsafe encampments and connect people with services. Testimony also highlighted advocates who favor stronger outreach and suggested the bill could be paired with funding to expand shelter access.
Opponents warn of jails, costs and capacity shortfalls
Service providers, local officials and advocacy organizations urged lawmakers to slow down, saying Indiana does not yet have the beds or programs to make a warn-then-charge approach workable. County sheriffs told legislators that arrests under SB 285 would leave local jails holding people dropped off at their doors and would saddle facilities with added storage and liability responsibilities. A fiscal analysis prepared for lawmakers pegged daily jail housing costs between $56 and $79 on average in 2023, roughly $3,360 to $4,740 over a full 60-day stint, according to Legislative Services Agency fiscal notes. The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition and partner groups have lined up against the measure, warning it would shift scarce resources into fines and enforcement instead of housing and services, according to Prosperity Indiana.
Legal and enforcement implications
Beyond the misdemeanor charges, SB 285 would forbid local governments from adopting "non-enforcement" policies and would allow a resident, a local business owner or the attorney general to file a civil action to force a locality to enforce the camping ban. Civil-action and preemption language like this has drawn sharp criticism from civil-liberties and housing advocates, who argue that criminalizing homelessness only deepens barriers to both housing and services, according to the ACLU of Indiana.
What’s next
The bill cleared the Senate in late January and then passed out of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee on an 8-5 vote on Feb. 18, sending SB 285 to the full House for debate and possible changes, according to LegiScan. If lawmakers approve it and the governor signs on, legislative summaries say the new limits on public camping would take effect July 1, a timeline that opponents say leaves little room to delay tough decisions on funding and shelter capacity.
