Bill Text: MS HR122 | 2015 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Persons with Special needs; urge political subdivisions not to discriminate against.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-04-06 - Enrolled Bill Signed [HR122 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2015-HR122-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2015 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Guice
House Resolution 122
(As Adopted by House)
A RESOLUTION URGING POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS NOT TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BECAUSE IT IS MORALLY OBJECTIONABLE AND MAY VIOLATE FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAW.
WHEREAS, discrimination against persons with special needs goes against the natural human decency that this state prides itself on; and
WHEREAS, the United States Congress recognized that "the right to be free of housing discrimination is essential to the goal of independent living"; and
WHEREAS, political subdivisions discriminate against persons with special needs when they intentionally or effectively prohibit such people from living with other persons with special needs in a single dwelling for the purpose of living together in a neighborhood setting like their peers; and
WHEREAS, discrimination occurs when a political subdivision takes the position that a group of unrelated persons with disabilities cannot live together and be considered a "family" for purposes of zoning or use restrictions; and
WHEREAS, a political subdivision is wrong when it allows a group of unrelated people to live together but not a group of persons with special needs; and
WHEREAS, persons with special needs often require support services of one or more people or entities in order to be able to live, and this support should not constitute a commercial enterprise that would kick them out of a residential area and onto the curb; and
WHEREAS, political subdivisions that discriminate against persons with special needs not only harm such people, but they also harm every taxpayer with the cost of unnecessary and time consuming litigation; and
WHEREAS, discriminatory practices by political subdivisions may violate federal, state and local law when they have a disparate impact on persons with special needs; and
WHEREAS, municipal officials discriminate against persons with special needs when they fail to reasonably accommodate the needs of such people; and
WHEREAS, persons with special needs deserve to be treated equally by political subdivisions without the fear and stigma that causes such people to be treated as "other than" or "less than" their neighbors; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to vehemently discourage discrimination against persons with special needs, especially when that discrimination is being undertaken by the political subdivisions of this loving and caring state:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby discourage any practices that discriminate or have a discriminatory effect upon the people of this state who have special needs, and deplore any political subdivisions that discriminate against persons with special needs.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.
