West Virginia House Bill calls for statewide camping ban

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - West Virginia House Bill 2382 would implement a statewide camping ban.

The bill had its first reading Friday, March 7, and is scheduled for its second reading on Monday, March 10.

The bill, if passed, would “establish misdemeanor crimes for camping in or storing personal property, including camp facilities and camp paraphernalia, on governmental or public property and criminal penalties with exceptions”.

The text states the purpose of the bill is to “prevent harm to the health and safety of the public and to promote the public health, safety and general welfare“.

One of the bill’s sponsors, Republican Delegate Scot Heckert, says the bill helps keep communities clean and safe by creating uniformity across county lines.

Under this bill, first-time violators would be given a written warning and information about resources to obtain assistance in seeking alternate shelter.

A second violation would bring a misdemeanor charge and a fine of $200 or less upon conviction.

The penalty for a third time violation within the first 12 months of the first violation would be a misdemeanor charge and a fine of $500 or less upon conviction, up to 30 days in jail confinement, or both a fine and confinement.

Republican Delegate Bill Flanigan opposes the bill. He acknowledges this is an issue throughout the state, but says more work needs to be done on this bill.

“We’re going to confine them and subject them to now having a prison record for being homeless. I really believe we could find a better way, a better solution... They’re not criminals,” says Delegate Flanigan.

He proposes another solution to the problem.

“I had eleven sponsors jump on it yesterday and I submitted it. I just don’t have the number for it yet, but it’s to develop an institutional program. A hospital, basically a large central - central somewhere in the state - for mental evaluations and help if they need it,” says Delegate Flanigan.

Several cities across West Virginia have passed their own camping ban ordinances. The city of Parkersburg passed a Camping Ban ordinance in September 2023, one that is very similar to Bill 2382 according to Mayor Tom Joyce.

Mayor Joyce says the bill, just like Parkersburg’s ordinance, does not criminalize the homeless but equips those responsible to help them better.

“My goal throughout this whole process [for the Parkersburg Ordinance] was to make our public spaces as safe as we possibly could... I don’t think [House Bill 2382] criminalizes homelessness, I think it gives those of us responsible for keeping our community safe and clean and vibrant, another tool to get those folks into a better living situation,” says Mayor Joyce.

When we talked with Delegate Heckert about how the bill could impact Parkersburg ordinance, he said, “I think it’ll work more hand in hand and give the ordinance a little more of a bite, a little more teeth, if you will.”

Since the implementation of the local ordinance, Mayor Joyce says he has observed positive changes when we talked with him.

“From our standpoint, you know, we’ve got a trail that prior to its opening, that whole area was littered with homeless camps. It’s not anymore... There were one hundred people plus on the trail yesterday. I went down there at lunchtime, we saw people walking the trail, riding their bikes on the trail, walking their dogs on the trail,” says Mayor Joyce. “Without this piece of legislation locally from 2023, I’m not sure that folks would be enjoying that trail the way they’re enjoying it now.”

The Point in Time count for Wood County happened late January this year. Dawn Werry, the permanent supportive housing stabilization case manager for the West Virginia coalition to end homelessness, said they counted 205 people.

In 2023 the count was 184, and in 2024 the count was 197.

Mayor Joyce says the resources stationed in Parkersburg attribute to the county’s homeless population.

“We’ve got, you know, the largest percentage of drug treatment facilities. So, we have lots of folks that are brought here, come here because this is a very charitable place.”

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