The Samaritan Inn and Dozens of Support Agencies at Risk Without Urgent Public Action
Through late-night procedural maneuvers and a closed-door vote, Senate Bill 2623 (SB 2623) has moved out of committee and is now headed to the Texas House Calendars Committee. If scheduled for a floor vote, it could lead to the shutdown of veteran and homeless support services statewide, according to The Samaritan Inn.
SB 2623 prohibits homeless navigation service providers from operating within 1,500 feet of schools, colleges, and parks-without a grandfather clause for existing organizations. If passed, this bill would force The Samaritan Inn and other established providers to shut down or relocate, cutting off access to essential resources for thousands of Texans, including veterans.
“This bill is reactionary and harmful,” said Jill Scigliano, Chief Executive Officer, The Samaritan Inn. “We are not the problem-we are part of the solution.”
Last week, a scheduled hearing for SB 2623 was canceled just before midnight. Advocates who traveled to testify were never heard, and 296 submitted public comments were ignored. The bill initially failed, but a motion to reconsider reversed that outcome by a 6-5 vote.
Local agencies confirmed to be affected include The Samaritan Inn, City House, The Storehouse of Collin County, Mission Oak Cliff, All Community Outreach, Agape Resource Center, The Stewpot, Vogel Alcove / Family Gateway, and Hope Restored Missions.
The exclusion zones in SB 2623 exceed those applied to sex offenders, and the bill offers no process for appeal or exemption.
Take Action Now
There is still time to stop this bill. The most effective action is to visit the Capitol in Austin and submit a red card opposing SB 2623 to the Calendars Committee. If you can't go in person, please contact the below committee members by phone:
Todd Hunter – 512-463-0672Toni Rose – 512-463-0664Terry Canales – 512-463-0426Stan Gerdes – 512-463-0682Cody Harris – 512-463-0730Ana Hernandez – 512-463-0614Ann Johnson – 512-463-0389Jeff Leach – 512-463-0544Janie Lopez – 512-463-0640Ramon Romero, Jr. – 512-463-0740Carl Tepper – 512-463-0676
Calling is most effective but if no answer, please email using this format: firstname.lastname@house.texas.gov
Say: “I oppose SB 2623. Please keep it in Calendars. This bill would shut down essential homeless and veteran services our communities depend on.”
Media Contact:The Samaritan Inn395402@email4pr.com(972) 542-5302www.saminn.org
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SOURCE The Samaritan Inn
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