Austin has voted to reinstate criminal penalties for behavior related to homelessness. With its passage, Proposition B will restore the city's previous ban on public encampments, prohibition of resting in certain areas and limitations on panhandling. The citizen-led measure passed handily by a 15-point margin. The measure fueled an unusually large turnout for a May election in an off-year. All told, 90,428 voters in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties supported the measure, while 66,292 opposed it, according to unofficial results. The measure is a direct response to Austin's policies related to homelessness. Back in 2019, the Austin City Council voted to soften its policy of ticketing people camping, resting or panhandling.