HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Following a 6-to-3 vote by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold bans on people sleeping in public spaces, legislators and local officials had their voices heard.

“It seems every week the decisions that the Supreme Court of the United States make get farther and farther away from morality, fairness and justice,” Speaker of the Pennsylvania House Joanna McClinton said.

The ruling allows cities, counties and municipalities to fine or even arrest people for staying in public.

State representative Izzy Smith-Wade-El (D – Lancaster County) along with other Democrats think the bans go against the Eighth Amendment.

“If the Supreme Court of the United States of America will not do its job to honor the Constitution of this fine country, then the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will do that job,” Smith-Wade-El said.

The Supreme Court found that outdoor sleeping bans don’t violate the Eighth Amendment for cruel and unusual punishment.

“We have a lot of work to do not only in making sure that people have somewhere to sleep and to lay their heads, but also that they’re not criminalized for situations they cannot control,” McClinton said.

Pennsylvania Democrats say they won’t accept the verdict.

“We will soon be introducing legislation to combat the criminalization of homelessness in this Commonwealth,” Smith-Wade-El said.

Republican Lancaster County Commissioner Josh Parsons believes the high court’s ruling shouldn’t change county protocol.

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“I don’t think it changes a whole lot for us right now,” Parsons said.

Lancaster is dealing with a rising homeless population.

“Homelessness increased in Lancaster County 13% and we weren’t keeping up with the need a year ago,” Smith-Wade-El said.

“People want to live here. That creates pressure on housing, both rental and owner housing,” Parsons said. “We have a very low vacancy rate and that does create challenges.”

Lancaster County is giving around $5.3 million to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Most of that money is focusing on homelessness.

Smith-Wade-El still doesn’t think it’s enough funding.

“No. We’ve got to go back for more dollars,” he said.

The Department of Housing Urban Development says there’s more than 650,000 homeless people in America.

Smith-Wade-El says be punishing people in one area, they will move and end up in the same situation.

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