Indiana’s House Bill 1662, which would have made it a crime to live on the streets, failed to pass after People’s Action affiliate Hoosier Action joined forces with the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition and other advocates for the homeless. The bill had been drafted by the Austin, Texas-based Cicero Institute, a think tank which distributes draft legislation to conservative state legislators across the country.
“Hoosier commonsense prevailed against the whims of out-of-state billionaires, at least for now,” said Hoosier Action in a statement celebrating the outcome. “We must continue to work together to advance real solutions to Indiana’s housing crisis, and meet those struggling the most with care, not cuffs.”
Care Not Cuffs is a Hoosier Action campaign which advocates for compassionate care and harm reduction for those affected by opioid abuse. On January 15, they rallied at Indiana’s Statehouse for the passage of a group of harm reduction bills.
That same day, one key measure – HB 1167, which seeks to decriminalize the possession of fentanyl test strips, which alert drug users to the presence of the deadly chemical before it can cause an overdose – passed out of the Indiana House’s Courts and Criminal Committee after a 13-0 vote.
“We’ll settle for a hearing as a win—as a victory,” said Tony Hostetler, a Hoosier Action organizer from Columbus in an interview with Indiana public broadcaster WFYI. “But we want to get it pushed through.”