Oregon Democrats Eyeing Homeless Camping Law as Feds Loosen Grip

Portland, Oregon – Remember that time the Supreme Court decided cities could actually crack down on homeless encampments? Yeah, big news, right? Well, here in Oregon, things just got a whole lot more complicated. See, we’ve got this state law, passed back in 2021, that’s basically like a giant “proceed with caution” sign for anyone trying to regulate where folks can and can’t crash outside. So while the Supremes are giving cities more leeway, Oregon’s law is throwing some serious shade, and folks on both sides of the aisle are starting to sweat.

Supreme Court Ruling: It’s Lit, Fam

So, the Supreme Court, in all its wisdom, basically said, “Yeah, the Ninth Circuit got it wrong.” They overturned this ruling that was preventing cities from enforcing bans on public camping. The case? Oh, just a little something that started right here in Grants Pass, Oregon. Talk about your local drama going national! Basically, it showed just how much West Coast cities have been struggling with this whole homelessness thing. This ruling? It’s like giving cities a new set of tools to tackle this problem head-on, but, and this is a big but, there’s a catch…

Oregon’s 2021 Law: Hold My Craft Beer

Here’s where things get interesting. Back in 2021, Oregon decided to be, well, Oregon, and passed this law saying that any local ordinances about sitting, lying down, or catching some Z’s on public property have to be “objectively reasonable.” Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong! This whole “objectively reasonable” thing? Total buzzkill. It’s so vague it’s basically useless. Lawyers are having a field day, and cities are left scratching their heads. Case in point: Portland’s attempt to put the kibosh on daytime camping back in 2023? Yeah, that got shut down faster than a dispensary on 4/20 because the law is about as clear as a bong rip.

Calls for Reform: Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Okay, so picture this: you’ve got Democratic state Senator Mark Meek and Representative Paul Evans, two dudes who weren’t exactly fans of the 2021 law in the first place. Now, they’re like, “We told you so!” They’re leading the charge to get this whole thing reworked, claiming it’s basically handcuffing efforts to keep things safe and, you know, not smelling like a porta-potty at a music festival. And guess what? The Republicans are actually on board with this one. They’re worried that Oregon’s gonna become a magnet for every unhoused person west of the Mississippi if we don’t get our act together. Talk about a bipartisan freakout!