Establish Drug-Free Homeless Service Zones.

"Establish Drug-Free Homeless Service Zones." Who's against keeping drugs away from people experiencing homelessness? Nobody. That's the point of the title.

The bill creates enhanced felony penalties for drug offenses near homeless shelters... a Class E felony, which carries 15-63 months in prison. But it goes further. Shelter operators themselves face a Class H felony if they "intentionally allow" drug activity within 100 feet of their facilities. Service providers now have to worry about being charged with a crime for the behavior of people they're trying to help.

The Asheville Homeless Coalition said the bill would force shelters to choose between helping people and protecting their staff from prosecution. Multiple providers said they'd have to turn people away or hire armed security. The ACLU called it "criminalizing homelessness and homeless service providers."

The bill passed the House 76-36 and is now in the Senate. The title says "drug-free zones." The mechanism is felony charges... for the homeless people AND the people trying to help them.