As if being homeless isn’t hard enough, many cities have begun enacting laws that discriminate against the homeless.  Simple rights which are allowed everyone else (things like sitting on a public bench, having a picnic in a city park) are denied to anyone who is classified as homeless.

Rhode Island, however, has gone in the opposite direction, spelling out things the homeless are allowed to do that others want to deny to them.

Among other steps, the Rhode Island law would guarantee homeless people the right to use public sidewalks, parks and transportation as well as public buildings, like anyone else “without discrimination on the basis of his or her housing status.”

It guarantees a “reasonable expectation of privacy” with respect to personal belongings similar to that of people who have homes.

via Rhode Island Passes ‘Homeless Bill Of Rights’.