This was a strange bill for Gov. Stein to veto
House Bill 437 may not have been perfect. But it’s not obvious why this was the bill that finally drew a veto.
I honestly thought we were going to get out of 2026 without a veto.
Gov. Josh Stein has made a habit of signing bills even when they were not exactly what Democrats would have written. That has been one of the more interesting parts of this second year of his term. He has seemed determined to avoid performative fights with the General Assembly.
Then he vetoed House Bill 437, a bill dealing with homelessness encampments and shelters. I’ll be honest: I don’t really get it.
The bill does two main things.
It creates drug-free zones around homeless shelters, with tougher penalties for certain drug offenses in those zones.
It bars local governments from allowing regular public camping or sleeping on public property, while still allowing them to create temporary designated camping sites when there are not enough shelter beds.
Those sites would have to meet basic standards: safety, sanitation, restrooms, running water, security, and coordination with mental health and substance abuse services.
Non…