In Kentucky, politicians are preparing to vote on a law that would authorize the use of force against unhoused people who are found to be camping on private property.
Republican politicians in Kentucky are rallying behind a new bill that would authorize the use of forceāand potentially deadly forceāagainst unhoused people who are found to be camping on private property. The bill would also criminalize unsanctioned homeless encampments and restrict cities and towns from preempting state laws.
The bill, known as the āSafer Kentucky Act,ā or HB5, would target homelessness, drug possession and mental illness by drastically increasing criminal penalties for a range of offenses. Introduced last week by Republican state representative Jared Bauman, it already has 52 sponsors in Kentuckyās House of Representatives. A vote is scheduled for this week.
Advocates are most alarmed by one aspect of the āSafer Kentucky Actā in particular: an anti-homeless provision that would authorize violence by property owners on people camping on their property. The bill says the use of force is ājustifiableā if a defendant believes that criminal trespass, robbery or āunlawful campingā is occurring on their property.
You donāt and thatās why cops have told me in plain words if you ever have to shoot someone, its better for you if they donāt survive.
Barring cases where they basically hand you your self defense argument, such as Gaige Grosskreutz. I remember watching the Rittenhouse trial and the exact moment I knew he was going to be found not guilty on that count during Grosskreutzās testimony.