Louisiana’s SB196 Won’t Solve Homelessness — It Will Punish It
In Louisiana, we are on the verge of enacting legislation that criminalizes the most vulnerable among us — and calling it a solution. Senate Bill 196, a bill creating a so-called “homelessness court,” is making its way to the Senate floor. Proponents claim it offers an alternative path to rehabilitation. In truth, it adds yet another bureaucratic layer to an already overwhelmed system, turning social failure into criminal liability.
As someone who leads a youth agency in Baton Rouge, I see the daily impact of housing insecurity on young people, especially those in foster care, juvenile detention, or parenting at a young age. These youth are already overexposed to systems that punish them more than they protect. What HB196 proposes is not support or safety. It is institutional fatigue masquerading as policy.
Let’s be clear: this bill doesn’t solve homelessness. It shifts the cost, morally and financially, from social services to the criminal justice system. And who pays the highest price? Children.
In 2022-2023, over 6,100 infants and toddlers in Louisiana experienced homelessness. Yet more than 90% of them were not enrolled in any early childhood program. They are growing up without access to the developmental support that could change their trajectory — and we’re debating whether to send their parents to court instead of sending resources to their communities.
We don’t need another courtroom. We need coordinated, well-funded support services. This bill is a distraction from that reality.
This is not how we build a better Louisiana. Senate Bill 196 adds pressure to an already overwhelmed judicial system and does nothing to address the lack of affordable housing, early care, or mental health services.
Let’s reject this punitive approach. Homelessness is not a crime; it’s a policy failure. We owe our children better than this.