WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — A bill aimed at preventing the homeless from sleeping in public places across the state is now before the general assembly.
Homelessness spans across 159 Georgia counties.
Though its most prevalent in larger areas like Cobb and Dekalb counties, it trickles down to smaller towns.
"We want cities and counties to continue enforcing their strict sleeping ban and enforce the cities and counties and I hate to say force but the bottom line is to offer a safe environment for people that are homeless or unsheltered to go to,” Senator Carden Summers said.
Carden Summers, a State Senator from Cordele, says Senate Bill 62 would require cities to build homeless accommodations.
"If they got mental issues, if they're just homeless because of maybe just a divorce or a bad deal, maybe moved away whatever, we want you to find the right avenues to go to get the right help that you can get,” Summers explained.
Summers's vision involves getting those on the streets off the streets.
In Warner Robins, Brian Wise says the city is doing that.
"We got people helping them with their ID's up there, we got people helping to get birth certificates, we got people that’s giving them job interviews. We just had three get hired," he explained.
The city wants to set up permanent housing for Houston County's homeless.
Wise, along with the mayor and several non-profits are almost ready for the next step.
"We're hoping to close on the building in the near future probably at the end of next week. That's when we'll go full steam and start getting in there and start doing work to the building and getting ready for the permanent shelter," he continued.
Regardless of what happens with Summer's bill, Wise says they plan to press forward.
"We're not going to end homelessness but we're sure going to put a dent in it and that's what our goal is," Wise said.
The bill will head to the full senate for debate after it advanced on Monday.