0001|                       HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 41
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0002|     43rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 1997
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                          PATSY G. TRUJILLO
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE ON CONCERNS OF THE
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0012|     HANDICAPPED TO STUDY THE HOUSING NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE
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0013|     CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY AND TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
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0014|     
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0015|          WHEREAS, lack of adequate housing is consistently
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0016|     identified as the number one problem for people with multiple
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0017|     chemical sensitivities; and
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0018|          WHEREAS, many individuals with multiple chemical
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0019|     sensitivities are homeless during the course of their illness,
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0020|     forced to live outdoors or under substandard conditions due to
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0021|     their illness; and
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0022|          WHEREAS, there is a need for both short-term and long-term
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0023|     appropriate housing, as well as emergency shelter, for such
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0024|     people; and
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0025|          WHEREAS, people with multiple chemical sensitivities often
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0001|     are denied adequate housing due to the presence of chemical
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0002|     barriers or subtle or overt discrimination; and
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0003|          WHEREAS, the presence of chemicals found in paint,
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0004|     plywood, particle board, pesticides, new carpeting and many
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0005|     maintenance and cleaning products blocks access for people with
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0006|     multiple chemical sensitivities just as physical barriers block
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0007|     access for people who use wheelchairs; and
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0008|          WHEREAS, multiple chemical sensitivities is recognized as
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0009|     a potentially disabling condition by the federal social
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0010|     security administration and the United States department of
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0011|     housing and urban development, and is covered by the federal
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0012|     Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the federal Fair
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0013|     Housing Act; and
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0014|          WHEREAS, educating housing providers about the needs of
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0015|     people with multiple chemical sensitivities and increasing
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0016|     flexibility in local zoning regulations, building codes,
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0017|     shelter rules and other common housing-related practices and
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0018|     conditions would significantly increase housing and shelter
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0019|     opportunities for people with multiple chemical sensitivities;
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0020|     and
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0021|          WHEREAS, affordable and accessible housing would help
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0022|     people with multiple chemical sensitivities to stabilize and
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0023|     improve their health and increase their ability to continue or
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0024|     return to employment; and
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0025|          WHEREAS, affordable nontoxic housing would benefit the
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0001|     general population as well as people with multiple chemical
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0002|     sensitivities;
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0003|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0004|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the governor's committee on concerns
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0005|     of the handicapped, together with the state housing authority
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0006|     of the economic development department, study ways in which the
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0007|     state can help provide housing and shelter for people with
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0008|     multiple chemical sensitivities; and
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0009|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study address issues of
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0010|     zoning, affordability, building materials, maintenance and
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0011|     cleaning products and practices; indoor and outdoor air
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0012|     quality; and barriers to the use of community housing programs;
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0013|     and
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0014|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study identify barriers to
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0015|     housing and shelter for people with multiple chemical
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0016|     sensitivities and propose solutions to eliminate or reduce
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0017|     those barriers, including zoning exemptions, building code
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0018|     variances, public education aimed at the housing rental
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0019|     industry, supplemental housing subsidies and extension of
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0020|     visiting time limitations in state parks; and
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0021|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor's committee on
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0022|     concerns of the handicapped report the findings to the
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0023|     legislative health and human services committee at its October
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0024|     1997 meeting; and
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0025|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0001|     transmitted to the governor's committee on concerns of the
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0002|     handicapped, the state housing authority of the economic
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0003|     development department and the legislative health and human
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0004|     services committee.
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0005|                              
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