Georgia lawmakers passed a bill early Friday that would allow property owners to file claims against local governments if the individual believes policies that ban people from sleeping outside and require law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities were not enforced.
If Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signs the bill, individuals will be able to demand compensation from local governments amounting to alleged lost property value or expenses incurred because of failure to enforce policies such as bans on public camping, loitering and panhandling, and bans on sanctuary policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The bill’s sponsor, Athens Republican and U.S. House candidate Rep. Houston Gaines, said it’s important to hold cities accountable for enforcing the law. Business owners and homeowners should not have to spend money because a locality fails to clean up encampments, he added.
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