Bill Text: NY A05452 | 2025-2026 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Bill 5452

Introduced

Bill Title: Prohibits imposing imprisonment or other penalties or fines for sleeping or camping in public spaces.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-14 - referred to codes [A05452 Detail]

Download: New_York-2025-A05452-Introduced.html




                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          5452

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    February 14, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by M. of A. FORREST -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Codes

        AN ACT to amend the civil rights law, in relation to prohibiting  impri-
          sonment for sleeping or camping in public spaces

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the  "stop  law
     2  enforcement of encampment penalties (SLEEP) act".
     3    §  2.  The  civil  rights law is amended by adding a new section 29 to
     4  read as follows:
     5    § 29. No imprisonment for sleeping or camping  in  public  spaces.  1.
     6  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, rule, regulation or order to
     7  the  contrary,  a  person  shall  not  be arrested, imprisoned, charged,
     8  fined, removed, or have their personal property removed for sleeping  in
     9  or  upon  any  publicly-owned  property which, at that time, is open and
    10  available for use by the public, including but not limited to sidewalks,
    11  streets, alleyways, parks, benches, and  doorways,  provided  that  such
    12  individual  is  not  substantially impeding operations or access to such
    13  publicly-owned property and that such individual is not posing an  immi-
    14  nent threat to the safety or health of themselves or those around them.
    15    2.  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision of law, rule, regulation or
    16  order to the contrary, no executive officer  or  governing  board  of  a
    17  municipal  corporation  shall  issue  any law, rule, regulation or order
    18  which contradicts subdivision one of this section.
    19    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.



         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07315-01-5