On a politically jam-packed Tuesday, the Oklahoma Senate passed Senate Bill 1854, authored by Sen. Darrell Weaver (R-Moore), which would criminalize unauthorized camping on state-owned property.
The bill defines an unauthorized camp as any tent, shelter or bedding constructed with the intent to use the arrangement as an overnight shelter on state-owned property not designated as a campsite.
SB 1854 would go further than existing trespassing laws by criminalizing people camping on state property through fines and jail time. Those found camping may be subject to a fine up to $50 or up to 15 days in jail, or both.
The bill states the first time a person is found camping on state property, a warning must be issued. Along with the warning, an officer must offer assistance such as transportation to a shelter or food pantry. If the individual refuses assistance, a citation may then be issued. In an article by The Oklahoman, Weaver clarified the proposed law would not apply to municipal properties, only state-owned properties such as highway underpasses.
State-owned property in Norman includes, but is not limited to, the University of Oklahoma campus and parts of Griffin Memorial Hospital.
Because the proposed law applies to state-owned property, state agencies would be responsible for enforcement, meaning the Norman Police Department would not be enforcing the proposed law, according to Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant.
“The city is not responsible for state property and therefore the County Sheriff’s office is who will police state property,” Grant wrote in an email.
Norman Chief of Police Kevin Foster confirmed Grant’s statement. However, he wrote NPD could be called by a state agency to assist in keeping the peace when removing people from state properties.
OU Daily reached out to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office for verification of Grant’s statement. The office did not confirm whether they would enforce the law if it passes.
Critics of the bill in Norman believe it would exacerbate homelessness and the problems of those facing homelessness.
“This bill and all the other ‘solutions’ being floated by the State of Oklahoma fail to address any root causes of homelessness,” wrote April Doshier, director of Food and Shelter. “Until we insist our legislature seriously talk about homelessness and why it is on the rise, the problem will continue to get worse and our jails will be overrun with people who literally have no other place to go.”
Steve Ellis, OU professor of philosophy and Norman Care-A-Vans board member believes the requirement to offer assistance stems from a lack of knowledge.
“I think that really reflects a misunderstanding of the situation that most unhoused people have, which is that there really isn’t enough resources for them,” Ellis said.
Doshier warned services are already saturated and unable to help everyone, saying they may not have the resources available to assist individuals brought to them by law enforcement.
“We would have to refer them to another shelter like Salvation Army who is often full as well, so yes we would not be able to squeeze someone in that is brought by law enforcement in one of these situations,” Doshier wrote.
Oklahoma has 3,871 people experiencing homelessness on any given night, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. The 2023 point-in-time count for Cleveland County found the county has a homeless population of 213 people.
A Friend’s House, a shelter located in downtown Norman, said they have 52 beds available: 30 for men and 22 for women. Doshier believes the bigger issue isn’t capacity but a lack of space for pets.
According to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, involuntary displacement, such as camp sweeps or bans, of those experiencing homelessness can lead to increases in deaths, hospitalization and life-threatening infections. They can also affect access to medications for opioid use disorder.
“They lose most of their worldly possessions. Unhoused people are just kind of in this terrible situation where there’s no place for them to be and every time, they get moved out of one place, they’ve got to go to a new place and reestablish everything,” Ellis said. “It’s a pretty bad operation playing whack-a-mole with the homeless population because they lose at every turn.”
Weaver said in an Oklahoma Watch article, he is concerned for the safety of people living on state-land and the general public.
SB 1854 has been sent to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. If passed by the House and signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt, it would take effect on Nov. 1.
This article was edited by Peggy Dodd, Anusha Fathepure and Ismael Lele. Natalie Armour and Mary Ann Livingood copy edited this story.
