Georgia House Republicans advanced a bill Wednesday that would let property owners get compensated by local governments if they don’t enforce bans on homeless encampments and sanctuary laws that limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The bill comes weeks after Cornelius Taylor was killed when a bulldozer crushed him inside his tent while destroying a homeless encampment in Atlanta. It also comes amid a slew of proposals across Republican states, including Georgia, to reinforce rules for local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration officials.
The bill passed 8-5 along party lines and would let property owners file claims amounting to lost property value or incurred expenses from local governments failing to enforce laws also prohibiting panhandling, shoplifting, public urination and loitering in addition to encampments and sanctuary policies.
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