PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 2046
PRINTER'S NO. 2278
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
424
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY FARRY, GALLOWAY, COHEN, MURT, READSHAW,
CALTAGIRONE, SCHLOSSBERG, D. COSTA, MILNE, GAINEY, WATSON AND
DAVIS, JULY 20, 2015
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, SEPTEMBER 30, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Memorializing Congress to examine existing Federal laws relating
to sober living arrangements.
WHEREAS, People with alcohol and other drug addictions may be
in need of a supportive, sober housing arrangements after
completing inpatient treatment for addiction; and
WHEREAS, Stable housing has been recognized as a verifiable
need for individuals in recovery, especially early recovery, but
is often difficult to obtain; and
WHEREAS, The goal is to find a place that is safe,
appropriately maintained and beneficial to the client's recovery
process; and
WHEREAS, Sober living recovery houses can be extremely
helpful in stabilizing early recovery as a person who is
addicted continues treatment and begins to search for
employment; and
WHEREAS, Congress added protections for persons with
disabilities to the Fair Housing Act of 1968 under the Fair
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Housing Amendments Act of 1988; and
WHEREAS, These Federal statutes prohibit a broad range of
practices that discriminate against individuals on the basis of
race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status
and, handicap or disability OR HAVING A SUBSTANCE ABUSE
DISORDER; and
WHEREAS, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines
disability; and
WHEREAS, The ADA requires public accommodation as well as
reasonable employer accommodation for persons with disabilities,
except when the accommodation would cause an undue hardship,
result in an undue burden or fundamentally alter the operation
of the business; and
WHEREAS, The Fair Housing Act as amended does not preempt
local zoning laws but is intended to prohibit the use of local
laws and ordinances to make housing unavailable to persons with
a disability solely on the basis of their disability; and
WHEREAS, Local governments must be sure to adhere to the
reasonable accommodation provisions of Federal law when enacting
changes to zoning ordinances or considering variance requests
from individuals with disabilities or their designees; and
WHEREAS, A certain percentage of Housing and Urban
Development-funded housing dollars should be set aside for
recovery housing; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania memorialize Congress to examine
existing Federal laws relating to sober living arrangements; and
be it further
RESOLVED, THAT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT-FUNDED HOUSING DOLLARS SHOULD BE SET ASIDE FOR
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RECOVERY HOUSING; AND BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED, That the examination note the impact of existing
laws on individuals in recovery and on communities; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That, when taxpayer dollars fund recovery housing,
the public be entitled to insist that certain minimal standards
be met in order to optimize the prospects for continued recovery
and for the health, safety and best interests of the public
client; and be it further
RESOLVED, That sober recovery houses be an essential element
of recovery support services, along with recovery community
centers, peer recovery specialists and recovery coaches, all
designed to acknowledge the many pathways to recovery and to
support long-term recovery from addiction; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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