In Kentucky, politicians are preparing to vote on a law that would authorize the use of force against unhoused people who are found to be camping on private property.

In Kentucky, politicians are preparing to vote on a law that would authorize the use of force against unhoused people who are found to be camping on private property.

Republican politicians in Kentucky are rallying behind a new bill that would authorize the use of force—and potentially deadly force—against unhoused people who are found to be camping on private property. The bill would also criminalize unsanctioned homeless encampments and restrict cities and towns from preempting state laws.

The bill, known as the “Safer Kentucky Act,” or HB5, would target homelessness, drug possession and mental illness by drastically increasing criminal penalties for a range of offenses. Introduced last week by Republican state representative Jared Bauman, it already has 52 sponsors in Kentucky’s House of Representatives. A vote is scheduled for this week.

Advocates are most alarmed by one aspect of the “Safer Kentucky Act” in particular: an anti-homeless provision that would authorize violence by property owners on people camping on their property. The bill says the use of force is “justifiable” if a defendant believes that criminal trespass, robbery or “unlawful camping” is occurring on their property.

  • @[email protected]English
    5•10 months ago

    The article says:

    The bill says the use of force is “justifiable” if a defendant believes that criminal trespass, robbery or “unlawful camping” is occurring on their property.

    The bill says:

    2 (1) The use of physical force by a defendant upon another person is justifiable when the
    3 defendant believes that such force is immediately necessary to prevent:
    … 12 (c) The commission of unlawful camping in violation of Section 17 of this Act,
    13 when the offense is occurring on property owned or leased by the defendant,
    14 the individual engaged in unlawful camping has been told to cease, and the
    15 individual committing the offense has used force or threatened to use force
    16 against the defendant.

    • @[email protected]English
      7•10 months ago

      A dead person can’t defend themselves. All the aggressor has to do is say, “They threatened to kick my ass, so I shot them in theirs.” How do you dispute that the defendant is lying?

      • @agitatedpotato
        8•10 months ago

        You don’t and that’s why cops have told me in plain words if you ever have to shoot someone, its better for you if they don’t survive.

        • Schadrach
          2•10 months ago

          Barring cases where they basically hand you your self defense argument, such as Gaige Grosskreutz. I remember watching the Rittenhouse trial and the exact moment I knew he was going to be found not guilty on that count during Grosskreutz’s testimony.