Bill Text: HI SR58 | 2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Resolution 58 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Public Housing; Smoking; Violations

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-04-07 - Report and Resolution Adopted. [SR58 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-SR58-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	58
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

Requesting the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to document violations of its Prohibition on smoking in and around public housing.

WHEREAS, the Surgeon General of the United States has found that there is no safe level or amount of exposure to secondhand smoke; and

WHEREAS, "thirdhand smoke" is the residual contamination from the use of cigarettes, cigars, or other tobacco products that remains in enclosed indoor spaces; and

WHEREAS, among the substances in thirdhand smoke are hydrogen cyanide, used in chemical weapons; butane, used in lighter fluid; toluene, found in paint thinners; arsenic; lead; and carbon monoxide; and

WHEREAS, Act 91, Session Laws of Hawaii 2014, enacted language codified as section 356D-6.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which assists in providing smoke-free environments for families by prohibiting smoking in and around public housing projects, state low-income housing projects, and elder or elderly households; and

WHEREAS, due to the long-term effects of thirdhand smoke, violators of smoking prohibitions under section 356D-6.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, may negatively affect the health of subsequent tenants and guests of public housing projects, state low-income housing projects, and elder or elderly households; and

WHEREAS, this body believes that this type of behavior should be factored into the Authority's decisions to grant or deny lease extensions or future lease agreements with violators of the smoking prohibitions; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority is requested to document violations related to acts of smoking prohibited by section 356D-6.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and to permanently retain this documentation in a resident's record for the Authority to consider when it evaluates whether to continue any existing lease agreement, and when the Authority evaluates whether to form any future lease agreement with the resident; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority and the Executive Director of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.