URGENT: Oppose Texas Senate Bill 2623

We need your immediate advocacy and strong opposition to Texas Senate Bill 2623, which would force the closure or relocation of our shelter due to its location. 

Because The Samaritan Inn is located 1.27 miles from a school and 0.5 miles from a public park, it would be in violation of S.B. 2623 despite having operated successfully for over 40 years. This bill would force us to shut our doors or move despite our deep roots, fully established infrastructure, and proven track record of transforming lives.

This is unacceptable. We must put our force behind advocating against SB 2623.

This bill does not enhance safety – it punishes efficiency, logic, and compassion. It prioritizes optics over outcomes and targets the very people and organizations doing the hard work to make our community better. It fails to recognize that schools and services can safely coexist, as they have for decades. It ignores the data and the community impact we provide.

Relocating an operation like The Samaritan Inn is not only unrealistic — it’s senseless and reckless. Where can we go, when schools and parks exist throughout every populated area? What happens to our current residents, many of whom are children themselves? 

We urge you to call your representative (calls get the most attention), email them, and share this information on social media. Use your contacts to do the same. We must oppose S.B. 2623 or advocate for critical exemptions for long-established providers like ours.

Here’s a link to find your representative and their contact information: https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home