House Majority Leader Casey Snider introduced a bill to block the homeless shelter campus (branded by critics as a “mega-shelter”) entirely to protect the Great Salt lake. The bill was intended as a threat for people involved in negotiations over land deals and it apparently worked. It didn’t go anywhere but it appears the message was delivered.
The proposed homeless shelter campus did not get funded by the legislature. Instead, state officials said they intend to focus on those who need services the most to get them treatment and support. That led to a series of bills taking aim at the shelter from being considered.
Rep. Steve Eliason’s “omnibus” homelessness bill allowing shelters to flex to increase capacity on a year-round basis, mitigation for neighborhoods around them and allowing a “Code Red” for heat (similar to a “Code Blue” for cold) failed over claims the state would tell cities what to do. Some aspects were folded into other bills.
