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Lisa Larsen

The mayor of Lawrence is scheduled to testify Thursday at the Kansas Capitol against proposed legislation that would take control away from local authorities who are trying to provide support for people experiencing homelessness.

Lawrence Mayor Lisa Larsen will give oral testimony in Topeka against Kansas House Bill 2430, which is known as the “Safe Cities Act,” according to a news release from the City of Lawrence.

The bill places requirements and restrictions on how cities can approach public camping and sleeping, and it restricts cities’ eligibility to receive state funding designated for addressing homelessness.

The city has made ending chronic homelessness a top priority, the release notes, and the city “has invested considerable resources toward developing a comprehensive community-wide strategy for Lawrence and Douglas County.” The city has developed ordinances specific to camping and public land use in Lawrence.

“The approach the City of Lawrence has developed – through work with community members and partner organizations – is unique to this community and should not be restricted by the constraints of the proposed ‘Safe Cities Act’ legislation,” the city’s release states.

A copy of the written testimony provided by the City of Lawrence is available here.