On Jan. 1, the enforcement period begins for House Bill 1365.
It’s a law that prohibits sleeping in public places, and it went into effect back in October. But at midnight, the enforcement begins.
WPTV’s Michael Hoffman is digging into what changes, if any, we’ll see.
Signs prohibiting overnight sleeping in public places have been popping up around Palm Beach County since that law went into effect in October. It provides resources for people sleeping in public places. While Jan. 1 enforcement is set to begin, most local law enforcement WPTV spoke with say arrests for just sleeping in public are not likely.
Palm Beach County
New bill already having effect on homeless community
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law back in March.
I reached out to local law enforcement across South Florida and the Treasure Coast to see what kind of response we’ll see county-by-county.
Okeechobee County:
“Okeechobee County does not plan specific changes to our current procedures regarding overnight public sleeping. Updates to our ordinances regarding HB 1365 requirements were made earlier this year to ensure compliance.”
Indian River County:
“The Indian River County Sheriff's Office remains committed to ensuring public safety and upholding state laws. Regarding the new legislation on public camping and sleeping, our approach will not change. We will continue to enforce the law in the same manner we have been, balancing enforcement with compassion and addressing the needs of our community."
Region Indian River County
'It's been rough': Homeless individuals say new law making things worse
It's a sentiment echoed by Martin County Sheriff William Snyder.
“Our goal is to get them rehabilitated, get them off the streets, and as a last resort, if they will not cooperate, we then we start using state statutes, trespassing and such, to eliminate the problem,” said Sheriff Snyder.
It’s close to the same for Palm Beach County.
A spokesperson with the Parks Department tells Hoffman that in addition to the signs, park rangers will now work overnight to patrol the spaces. However, when it comes to the arrests, she says any arrests will likely be because of other factors.
“If someone was sleeping on government-owned land, and they were asked to leave, and they refused to leave or be able to access other resources, and there was, you know, any belligerence or fighting in any way, those type of actions would be what could lead to an arrest. But the status of being homeless is not a criminal act,” said Assistant County Administrator Tammy Fields.
Palm Beach County
How could mini cottages help with homelessness in Palm Beach County?
Another key point is that House Bill 1365 does give people and businesses in Florida the right to sue local governments if they fail to enforce the state-mandated ban.
But the main question for many experiencing homelessness is, if I can’t sleep in public, where should I go?
“What advice would you give somebody in that position?” asked Hoffman.
“The advice I would give is to call one of our numbers to be able to get placement so that they can sleep where they can be safe," responded Fields.
There is a number for assistance found on those signs: (833) 442-9455.
We are still awaiting a response from St. Lucie County. We will update you as soon as we get one.
