Bill > A05452

This bill, known as the "Stop Law Enforcement of Encampment Penalties (SLEEP) Act", aims to prohibit the arrest, imprisonment, fining, or removal of individuals sleeping in public spaces, with some important limitations. Specifically, the bill protects people sleeping on publicly-owned property like sidewalks, streets, parks, benches, and doorways, provided they are not substantially blocking access or operations and are not posing an immediate safety or health risk. The legislation prevents municipal corporations and their executive officers from creating laws or regulations that would contradict these protections, effectively preventing local governments from criminalizing homelessness through measures that penalize sleeping in public spaces. The bill appears to be a response to concerns about the treatment of unhoused individuals, seeking to ensure that people experiencing homelessness are not subject to criminal penalties simply for finding necessary shelter in public areas. By adding this provision to the civil rights law, the bill aims to protect a vulnerable population from potentially punitive legal actions that can further destabilize their circumstances.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5452