Senate Republicans blast Newsom PR stunt on clearing camps as convenient timing

Today, Governor Newsom issued an executive order directing state agencies to begin the process of clearing homeless encampments from state lands and urging local governments to follow suit. This order is similar to previous efforts California Republican legislatorshave made on the issue over the last several years.

"It's about damn time! Letting people live and die on the streets or in our parks is unsafe and unsanitary," said Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones(R-San Diego). "I introduced a proposal earlier this year that would have provided even greater and more immediate solutions. While I am cautiously optimistic that the governor has finally taken note of the urgency of this problem, albeit many years later than needed, Californians deserve government for the people, not the PR hits."

Senate Bill 1011, introduced by Jones and all Senate Republicans this February, was a bipartisan effort that would have gone even further in compassionately clearing homeless encampments but was rejected by Democrats in the Senate Committee on Public Safety. Senate Republicans have introduced a host of bills in recent years to address the rampant and ever-growing California homeless crisis but have been met largely with resistance from Newsom and legislative Democrats.

"Homelessness is one of the biggest challenges we face today and it is imperative we take swift, decisive and effective action to address it," said Senator Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks). "The executive order is a good step but it will require significant follow through to ensure its effectiveness."

Senator Niello has championed homelessness policies since arriving in the Senate in 2022 and has advocated heavily for accountability in homeless program funding. To date, the Newsom administration has spent over $24 billion to address homelessness but a state audit requested by Senator Niello and Republican Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh(R-Yucaipa) last year revealed that funding has been largely ineffective and much of it is unaccounted for.