Legislation that would criminalize sleeping and camping on public property while allowing cities and counties to create designated areas for homeless encampments did not advance in a Senate subcommittee meeting Wednesday.

The legislation, Senate Study Bill 1195, was supported by the Cicero Institute, a nonprofit based in Austin, Texas, that promotes bans on unauthorized public camping and calls for funds to be directed away from “Housing First” programs. The institute advocated for a similar measure in 2024 that failed to advance, but Dennis Tibben, representing Cicero Action, said this year’s proposal comes after a year of discussions by Iowa communities on how to address homelessness.

Cities including Des Moines passed bans on camping and sleeping in public spaces in 2024.

“The bill before you intended to help with these efforts by ensuring consistent statewide policies, including basic minimum services and support, greater transparency on how public homelessness dollars are being utilized, and most importantly, creating a pathway to stability and self-sustainability for Iowans,” Tibben said.

The legislation includes four parts: one section would set a statewide penalty of a misdemeanor charge with a fine of at least $105 and up to 30 days of jail time for individuals who refuse to vacate public property after receiving a warning and being offered services or shelter by law enforcement. Local governments would be allowed to enact policies designating portions of public property to be used for public camping by people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, such as parking lots or camping facilities, that would be required to provide individuals access to clean and running water, showers and restrooms, as well as access to available behavioral health and substance abuse services in the region.

The bill would also create “drug-free homeless service zones,” stating that operators of facilities providing shelter and services to unhoused populations could be charged with a crime if a person accessing services is allowed to possess or use a controlled substance at their facility. The aggravated misdemeanor change is punishable by up to two years in confinement and fines between $855 and $8,540.