CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Geno Chiarelli, R, Monongalia, 78, has introduced two pieces of legislation that make major changes and settle a controversial issue.
On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” Chiarelli said House Bill 2382 would ban camping in municipal and public areas. Similar efforts have been attempted in other cities across the state, and in Morgantown voters will decide the fate of their camping ban during the April municipal election.
“This comes from a lot of comments, conversations, and discussions I’ve had with people that not only live in my district but also live in Monongalia County and across the state,” Chiarelli said. “We’ve heard a lot of discourse regarding the homeless situation in Morgantown.”
HB 2382 would make camping on municipal property a misdemeanor. A first offense is punishable by a fine of up to $100, 30 days in jail, and the offender could be financially responsible for the removal. Fines and penalties can balloon to $500 and/or 12 months in jail for repeated violations. If the person accepts an offer of shelter, no enforcement action will be taken.
“This really is about making sure they are living in situations that are going to help them get on their feet and find normalcy and structure they don’t have now,” Chiarelli said.
The bill is moving early in the session, passing the House Judiciary and now headed to the House Legal Services Committee.
“Some of the members of the House Judiciary Committee that I’ve discussed the bill with are very supportive,” Chiarelli said. “I hear almost no opposition yet; I’m sure at some point if it makes its way through the committee process, there will be people that have opposing viewpoints.”
The bill includes provisions to preserve regulated camping in approved areas and includes a provision for an application process to camp on public land.
“There are workarounds for any sort of lawful camping, within campgrounds and trailer parks that are specifically designed for that purpose,” Chiarelli said. “People with valid permits under a separate section of code, people lodging or residing overnight in vehicles that are registered and insured—there are plenty of carveouts, and I think we’ve really honed in on the issue we’re trying to address.”
Chiarelli is also the sponsor of House Bill 2422 that would require municipal elections to be synched with state and federal elections. The bill is not yet on an agenda, but Chiarelli says he has received a great deal of initial support.
“This one is very, very sought after and I have a lot of support in the legislature for this,” Chiarelli said. “It’s not on an agenda yet, but I don’t think I’ll have a problem getting this moving.”