Overview
- The Phoenix City Council approved the ordinance in a 6–3 vote Wednesday, with permit applications opening Thursday and the rules taking effect June 5.
- Permits are capped at two per park per month and are limited to roughly 105 neighborhood parks with parking lots plus community and regional parks.
- Any permitted food distribution or non-emergency medical care must operate inside an enclosed tent or a mobile medical vehicle in parking lots or other hardscape areas.
- The measure bans needle exchange and injectable naloxone in parks but allows nasal naloxone like Narcan.
- Violations are class 1 misdemeanors carrying up to a $2,000 fine or six months in jail, and the police chief says enforcement will start with education as civil rights groups prepare challenges.