Action Alert:
AB 5 (Ammiano; D-San Francisco) Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights and Fairness Act
“HOMELESS PERSON’S BILL OF RIGHTS”
Assembly Bill 5 authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) creates a new protected class of citizen – those who are homeless; perceived homeless and those that live in a residential hotel. The bill, which also specifically disallows local ordinances unless specific requirements are met and targets BID employees from being able to appropriately manage homeless issues in public space, is currently on the Assembly Appropriations “Suspense File” and we are asking that you help keep it there by calling/writing the committee.
Read the legislation by clicking here, as Amended April 30, 2013.
This sweeping law proposes to amend multiple areas of statute to create a new protected class of individuals and confer them a wide variety of “rights,” including the right to access and occupy virtually any public space in the state, including sidewalks, parks, and bus stops and plazas in our Downtowns, just to name a few.
The bill specifically prohibits BID “agents,” and local law enforcement from restricting homeless individuals conducting certain activities in public spaces (such as sleeping).
As the Sacramento Bee editorialized, this bill would create a “nightmare scenario” wherein businesses are powerless to remove homeless individuals from impeding their daily activities.
We are working with a coalition of business groups, property owners, small business advocates, and local government groups to explain how this bill will negatively impact public spaces in the state.
The bill has already passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee on a strict party line vote of 7-3 (all Democrats voting “aye;” all Republicans voting “no.”)
The bill was next heard on May 15 in the Assembly Appropriations Committee and moved to the committee’s “Suspense File” due to the bill’s huge fiscal impact. (Click here to read the Appropriations Committee analysis.
We ask that you please send members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee a letter of opposition asking that they “KEEP AB 5 ON SUSPENSE;”
Below you will find the CDA Letter of Opposition to the bill as well as letters from other groups helping us work the bill. You will also find an example letter to the committee.
**NEW: UPDATED CDA COALITION LETTERS OF OPPOSITION**
Click here to read the League-CDA-CSDA Coalition Oppose Letter
Click here to read the Business Coalition Letter opposing AB 5
Here are examples of letters by other Organizations:
Click here to read the State Sheriff’s Opposition Letter
Click here to read the CA Parks & Recreation Society Letter
Click here to read the CA Association of Counties Letter
Click here to read the CA Police Chiefs Association Letter
Click here to read the Murrieta Chamber of Commerce Letter
California State Appropriations Committee
|
Member |
District |
Party |
Phone |
Fax |
| Bigelow, Franklin |
5 (Placerville/S.Tahoe) |
R |
916 319 2005 |
916 319 2105 |
| Bocanegra, Raul |
39 (Los Angeles) |
D |
916 319 2039 |
916 319 2139 |
| Bradford, Steven |
62 (Gardena) |
D |
916 319 2062 |
916 319 2162 |
| Calderon, Ian |
57 (Whittier) |
D |
916 319 2057 |
916 319 2157 |
| Campos, Nora |
27 (San Jose) |
D |
916 319 2027 |
916 319 2127 |
| Donnelly, Tim |
33 (Twin Peaks) |
R |
916 319 2033 |
916 319 2133 |
| Eggman, Susan |
13 (Stockton) |
D |
916 319 2013 |
916 319 2113 |
| Gatto, Mike (Chair) |
43 (Burbank) |
D |
916 319 2043 |
916 319 2143 |
| Gomez, Jimmy |
51 (Los Angeles) |
D |
916 319 2051 |
916 319 2151 |
| Hall, Isadore |
64 (Compton) |
D |
916 319 2064 |
916 319 2164 |
| Harkey, Diane (Vice-Chair) |
73 (Dana Point) |
R |
916 319 2073 |
916 319 2173 |
| Holden, Chris |
41 (Pasadena) |
D |
916 319 2041 |
916 319 2141 |
| Linder, Eric |
60 (Corona) |
R |
916 319 2060 |
916 319 2160 |
| Pan, Richard |
9 (Sacramento) |
D |
916 319 2009 |
916 319 2109 |
| Quirk, Bill |
20 (Hayward) |
D |
916 319 2020 |
916 319 2120 |
| Wagner, Donald |
68 (Irvine) |
R |
916 319 2068 |
916 319 2168 |
| Weber, Shirley |
79 (San Diego) |
D |
916 319 2079 |
916 319 2179 |
●FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR:
Click here to find and contact your local legislator.
● **UPDATED** EXAMPLE LETTER TO APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE:
Here is a basic example letter for you to use to write your own letter of opposition.
● PRESS/OP-ED SURROUNDING AB 5:
Editorial: “Homeless rights bill showcases California’s lunacy”
Human Events 5/2/2013
Read the article here.
Editorial: “Tom Ammiano’s homeless bill is bad idea”
SF Chronicle Editorial 12/05/2012
Read the article here.
Editorial: “Ammiano bill on homeless is an embarrassment”
Sacramento Bee Editorial 01/06/2013
Read the article here.
Editorial: “Business Owners Alarmed by Homeless Rights Bill”
Los Angeles Business Journal 01/21/2013
Read the article here.
Editorial: “Homeless rights bill is wrong”
Opinion: Let’s Pass AB 5
Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, Huffington Post 01/23/2013
Read the article here.