Tennessee: Camping On Local Public Property A Felony As Of July 1, 2022

On July 1, 2022 a new law will make it a felony to camp on local public property such as parks in Tennessee.   The Volunteer State is the first in the nation to pass such a law and those charged face up to 6 years in prison and loss of voting rights.  The law requires that violators receive at least 24 hours notice before an arrest.  In 2020 Tennessee made it a felony to camp on most state-owned property.  As of January 2020, Tennessee had an estimated 7,256 people experiencing homelessness on any given day.  With rent prices reaching a record high and almost doubling in some cities, there has been a significant spike in homelessness across the Unites States.