A new bill introduced in the Alaska Legislature by Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson aims to codify certain “fundamental rights” for individuals facing discrimination based on a variety of characteristics, including race, gender, and housing status.
While Senate Bill 119 purports to protect vulnerable populations, its broad and ambiguous language threatens to create more legal confusion than solutions, inviting unintended consequences that could negatively impact businesses, public spaces, and law enforcement efforts. The bill strips away the rights of municipalities and boroughs to have orderly communities, but the bill would have no effect on tribal communities, which the state considers sovereign.
One of the aspects of SB 119 is its vagueness. The bill guarantees rights such as “reasonable privacy and autonomy,” “reasonable accommodation in the interest of family unity,” and the ability to “rest or seek shelter from the elements in a public space.”
While these sound compassionate, they lack clear definitions and could be interpreted in ways that overstep local control and burden municipalities and businesses alike. More than 66% of homeless in Alaska are either Natives or veterans, both of whom already have exclusive access to medical and human services set aside for them by the federal and state governments.
Read the bill at this legislative link.
For example, the provision allowing individuals to “occupy a legally parked vehicle or legally anchored, moored, or stored watercraft” raises significant concerns. Without restrictions, this could lead to unintended consequences such as people permanently living in public parking lots or on marina docks, creating public health and safety risks. Additionally, business owners might find themselves unable to prevent encampments in their own parking areas, leading to liability issues and sanitation challenges.
The bill’s sweeping protections could hinder law enforcement’s ability to address issues like vagrancy, public intoxication, and disorderly conduct.
The right to “seek shelter from the elements in a public space” is problematic. While ensuring humane treatment for the homeless is important, SB 119 effectively strips local governments of their ability to regulate encampments, leaving parks, sidewalks, and other public spaces vulnerable to overcrowding, disease, and deterioration.
Furthermore, the provision prohibiting “harassment, mistreatment, or fear of retribution from public servants” sounds reasonable in theory, but in practice, it could lead to frivolous lawsuits against police officers and city workers simply for enforcing existing municipal or state laws. The vague wording creates a legal minefield that could discourage authorities from taking necessary action to maintain public order.
- The bill guarantees medical and dental care for those who are experiencing homelessness. It also guarantees them gainful employment, the ability to get a voter ID, the right to clean, safe, and sanitary living conditions, the right to access to a toilet and shower, and other rights.
The bill allows individuals to bring civil lawsuits if they believe these “fundamental rights” have been violated. This provision opens the floodgates to costly litigation that could overwhelm local governments and business owners. Small businesses, already struggling with economic challenges that include increased minimum wage, could face lawsuits for denying drunken or drugged-up individuals access to their premises based on unclear interpretations of the bill’s language.
Provisions such as “access to a trash receptacle, toilet, and shower” imply new infrastructure obligations that could place an enormous financial burden on taxpayers. If these amenities are to be provided in all public spaces, who will bear the cost? Without an outlined funding mechanism, this bill creates more unfunded mandates.
While SB 119 seeks to address real social issues, its impracticality will raise concerns among those who have observed that homelessness is a serious issue that this bill will only exacerbate.
Getting a job would be a great idea and paying for ones own needs like the rest of us do!
And if they can’t do that they should be housed in some institution–for their wellbeing and ours.
yep ….. it helps them & us. win, win.
Amen Cindy. Exactly. Elvi grey Jackson race baiting again. I actually despise people who do not like to make their own way . I guess it’s somehow easier to mooch and beg. I started my business with an idea and not .25 cents to rub together 40 years ago worked 60 to 80 hrs a week and somehow by the grace of God I’m still here and still making my own way. And it’s awesome.
“Nothing that requires the labor of others is a basic human right.”
Amen Ak
I invite Elvi Gray-Jackson to volunteer her unlimited time to cleaning their (homeless) toilets.
this needs to be shut down
Build it and they will come.
If the individuals get free stuff, then they must agree to abstain from alcohol and drugs, even legal marijuana. They must agree to random drug testing. If they break any condition, or commit criminal action, they lose any freebies.
Incentivizing Homelessness(!!!) … Ridiculousness Runamuck(!!!)
This proposed legislation resolves absolutely nothing.
Let the legislators welcome the homeless into their own homes and give them jobs on their staffs. Between this and un ending funding for a broken education system, the sure seem bent on taking the whole pfd now as well as imposing income taxes. 🙃
Maybe if this passes, the muni will stop blaming the property owner when a vagrant sets fire to the place.
‘https://mustreadalaska.com/anchorage-fire-dept-blames-the-victim-for-fire-started-by-vagrants-at-spenard-building/
When is Elvi going to open her home to the homeless?
You know, the government would not have to step in so much to “defend” the homeless if our local community members would take a moment to connect with them on a personal level.
We as an American society seem to have this mindset of “it’s not my problem, so why should I bother?”. Well, now we see the results.
Granted, not every homeless person is out there because of circumstance. Some choose this as they have grown tired of an absurd political system and this is a form of rebellion and expression of freedom.
Humanity’s collective heart could start to heal if more folks involved themselves with more than just their own personal lives, but it is what it is I guess.
Good luck humanity, for ye have fallen far and it will take a lot of work to lift yourselves up to where you belong again.
We already know the results of laws like this. Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, virtually every Democrat run city that has been overrun by homeless folks are all shining examples of such misguided government intervention. It’s worth noting that most of the aforementioned cities are either walking back or outright removing such harmful laws that result in worsening conditions that are in many cases reminiscent or worse than thirdworld hygenic conditions.
Idiotic bill written by idiot staffers, and endorsed by an idiot legislator.
Go figure.
1993; Bill Clinton ended “welfare as we know it”.
“……We have to end welfare as a way of life, and make it a path to independence and dignity…….”
How did that work for us? We don’t even know it as being any different than before 1993. It’s plagued with drug abuse, unemployed fathers, and the demand for government to provide for the poor.
News flash, most veterans who get their health care through the VA healthcare do not have covered dental care and only certain categories of veterans get eye care.
This is absolutely ridiculous. How about all these democrats pay for them with their own money. Once again they are working to break the tax payers’ back.
I moved from Oregon to get away from these types of bad decisions. The.only thing you do is incentiviez the bad behavior. Now putting people in a return to useful citizen rehab camp might actually help.
It must be opposites day, month, year!! The Juneau folk have not heard WE THE PEOPLE! We do not want dole out entitlements just because you breathe…just stop with this free hand out s!*t. It’s not buying you votes from the takers because most don’t have a mailbox.
Oftentimes mail ballots are sent to the homeless using the local shelter address, Then DNC or union operatives pick up the ballots and fill them in for the homeless person the ballot was sent to.😏
When I was young and foolish, I actually voted for some Democrats. I long ago repented, seeing what damage that party has done to our society, and to Anchorage in particular. They take, take, take, and spend other people’s money on dubious causes. I have all kinds of compassion for people who can’t take care of themselves, but my sympathy is limited for those who REFUSE to take care of themselves.
What kind of communists wrote this garbage? “..ability to seek shelter in a public space”, “..occupy a legally parked vehicle..” If this BS passes, at least I’ll know that when I have to stay in Anchorage, I won’t have to pay their ridiculously high hotel room prices. I’ll just bring my camping gear and make camp on the street directly in front of Elvi Gray-Jackson’s house. Maybe she’ll come out with some cookies.
And the muni wants us to bust the tax cap by passing a bond to “improve” parks and recreation areas including several million for Town Square Park so the homeless can have something new to trash. I think not.
Welcome to Akfornia. This did not work in California, Oregon or Washington. It will not work here. Wish we had some real Conservatives in Juneau.
I wish we had an electorate smart enough not to re-elect Elvi Jackson. She puts forward the worst ideas and I’ve never seen her say or do anything that seemed like it may have come from a clear thinker.
They don’t want to work. I offered a Fred Meyer’s street beggar to do some light work at my office place and he responded, “eff you.”
This lady is about as stupid as they come.
Morgan freeman says the only way to get rid of racism is to completely quit talking about it. How many of our top businesspeople , top surgeons, top pilots came from absolute poverty with but an idea to succeed. Takes all of us no matter color, or background or job to keep this country moving forward, the catch is everyone has to work. Brain surgeon or janitor everyone counts.
They aren’t homeless. They are drug using bums, too lazy to work.
Suzanne a lot of what is discussed here we should just quit talking about. Why even mention elvi grey Jackson’s name ?? She is a predator who thrives on other people’s misery. 12 Month press black out and no one will remember who she is. Let’s take Morgan freeman’s advice.
These Democrats (& the fakers that call themselves something else) are just setting the table for when we finally get fed up enough to throw THEM out on the streets.
“While Senate Bill 119 purports to protect vulnerable populations, its broad and ambiguous language threatens to create more legal confusion than solutions, inviting unintended consequences that could negatively impact businesses, public spaces, and law enforcement efforts.”
Bingo.
SD does a nice job of exposing the “unintended consequences” of a bill which, IMO, are its intended consequences.
I consider the source of any proposed legislation, and the person we’re talking about here is not a benevolent lawmaker, but one who sees a needy population that is ripe to be weaponized.
I’ll own it if I’m wrong, but my gut tells me that Elvi, like Chris Constant, cares little about the homeless beyond their utility.
I’m sorry it Anchorage is a dump. It is not close to what it was 20 years ago when I fell in love with this town and took my life savings and bought a house then married and had a child. Trash everything. Creepers walking through Lowe’s stealing. Crappy roads with potholes everywhere. Looking for a new Nirvana.
Friendly amendment: “each person seeking shelter shall first be granted access to the home or other property owned in whole or in part by a legislator voting in favor of this measure and/or a staff member of the legislator.”
This is ridiculous! Once again the tax payers are going to pay for the vagrants. Seems to me that Elvi and her crowd of leftist should pay for all this, then maybe their God complex would be satisfied
Must be where my brother’s SS went! Now SS can’t pay anyone! B/C gov’ts are giving it all to homeless and illegals trying to bankrupt the country. After my brother could no longer work due to the nature of his illness, he sought to get his SS. No response. After some time had gone by, he contacted Sullivan. Immediately SS called and said they were sending half. Half??? Why only half? My brother passed away while waiting a year and many months for his “half”. Could have used the money to pay his mortgage, condo dues etc. Now his family is in the battle. SS indicated they were having trouble b/c it was a large amount. That’s two clues now that something is wrong with SS. It has now been a full year for the family, a total of 2 years to get the money he worked hard to pay in. Anyone else?
There are no Democrats anymore.
A real Democrat could be a Patriot too.
Not anymore, they would be burned at the stake.
They are all Communists’ now.
Its pretty obvious there issome kind of organized attempt across our Nation by a sinister group looking to destroy our Country with this Drug and homeless , and the mentally insane all weaved with in their plan….Now that we have the leadership in our hands, . the Department of Justice and the FBI , and all other law officials need to see who all these main players are behind the scenes and drag them into jail. They already know who many of these scum bags are, now it’s time to root the pigs out of all their non profit slush fund schemes and put them out of business, this has gone on far far to long, and these people pushing and playing all these cards are All corrupt.