ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Monday night, the Albuquerque City Council took up a bill that stirred up a major controversy. The goal was to revitalize downtown by addressing the number of vacant and dilapidated buildings in the area. However, there was also language in the bill that some called out for criminalizing homelessness and stomping on free speech rights.
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The bill, sponsored by City Councilor Joaquin Baca, contained penalties for owners of vacant or rundown buildings in the city not addressed. The original bill also would have made it illegal to sleep, kneel, or crouch along sidewalks. Amendments looked to remove that as well as language that would have made it illegal to form a line with banners or signs which some could have seen as protesting.
Even with amendments passed, the bill failed on an 8-1 vote. Councilors said they would vote for standalone bills to address the issues impacting downtown but argued the legislation contained many problematic proposals.
