Homeless service providers that receive government funding could be criminally charged and fined if they allow clients to have drugs on their premises under a bill advanced Wednesday by an Iowa House subcommittee.
The bill (HSB 705) would establish “drug-free homeless service zones” within 300 feet of homeless service facilities.
Dennis Tibben, a lobbyist for the Cicero Institute, a Texas-based conversative think tank that helped draft the bill, said the proposal is modeled after drug-free school zones.
“Those drug-free school zones create a buffer of 1,000 feet outside of a school that illicit drug use can't occur,” he said. “This legislation would create a similar buffer of 300 feet around homeless shelters and other supportive service areas.”
Under the bill, people found distributing drugs in the area would have an extra year added to any prison sentence they receive. And service providers who knowingly allow drugs on their property would be charged with a misdemeanor and banned from receiving state aid for three years.
Those against the bill, like Shelby Ridley, with the nonprofit Primary Health Care, said it could push people away from accessing necessary services.
“What we know is that when they think that there might be a criminalization charge coming with it, they're less likely to engage with us, which means we actually have more visible unsheltered homelessness,” she said. “So, we oppose this.”
Ridley added that if the bill passes, it will make it more difficult for service providers to do their jobs in the community.