INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Mike Braun signed legislation Tuesday that prohibits unauthorized camping on public land statewide.
SEA 285 bans camping, sleeping or long-term shelter on land owned by the state or local governments.
Braun says the goal is to connect unhoused people to social services rather than just arresting them.
“Hoosiers deserve safe streets, sidewalks, and public areas in our cities, and homeless individuals deserve a clear path to shelter, treatment, and mental health services. SEA 285 helps communities take immediate action to make streets safer and address the underlying problem in a meaningful way."
How SEA 285 works
Under SEA 285, police must first check if someone needs emergency mental health help before taking criminal action. Officers must give warnings and information about available services.
The law says a person can only be charged if 48 hours have passed since the warning and they remain within 300 feet of the location.
The charge would be a Class C misdemeanor.
Defenses are in place if no shelter beds are available within five miles or if a person was recently released from involuntary mental health treatment.
The law also stops local governments from creating policies that discourage the enforcement of camping rules.
Additionally, it requires annual reporting from law enforcement and Continuum of Care funding recipients.
You can read more about the law, here.
