A Bridgeport nonprofit kicked off a public awareness campaign on Saturday in support of a bill that's designed to protect people who are homeless. The campaign comes just days after state lawmakers held a hearing in Hartford on Connecticut Bill 7033. If passed, the measure would protect unhoused individuals from being punished for sleeping outside on public property. Instead, towns would have to offer an alternative option, like a shelter.

"We see a lot of people being shifted from one spot to another, and every time they get asked to move, unfortunately, they might lose their ID or they lose belongings," explained Liz Evans, of Liberation Programs. "It's like, if you lose somebody from an overdose, it's very serious. One is too many, and a thousand is never enough, so we need to do something," stressed Bridgeport City Councilmember Jorge Cruz. Opponents of the bill say it would make it hard for cities and towns to keep public places safe, clean and usable.