After witnessing the City of Lacey attempt to restrict a local church from allowing a homeless encampment on their property, State Rep. Brendan Williams championed a new law protecting the rights of religious organizations to do exactly that. Advocates for the homeless and church officials joined Brendan at the public hearing for his bill, SHB 1956. In the end, Brendan was pleased a majority of his colleagues in the House and Senate agreed. The new law goes into effect today, making it clear that cities and counties cannot impose unreasonable limitations upon such housing.
Brendan sums it up best: “Our troubled economy and a mortgage crisis created by Wall Street banks have placed too many Washington families on our streets. Government should not interfere in the work of churches to serve those in need – especially not in these times.”
