TITLE 34

Property

CHAPTER 34-37.1

Homeless Bill of Rights

SECTION 34-37.1-2



   § 34-37.1-2  Legislative intent. –

(1) At the present time, many persons have been rendered homeless as a result

of economic hardship, a severe shortage of safe, affordable housing, and a

shrinking social safety net.



   (2) Article 1, Section 2 of the Rhode Island State

Constitution states in part, that "All free governments are instituted for the

protection, safety, and happiness of the people. All laws, therefore, should be

made for the good of the whole; and the burdens of the state ought to be fairly

distributed among its citizens. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or

property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied equal

protection of the laws."



   (3) Concordant with this fundamental belief, no person should

suffer unnecessarily or be subject to unfair discrimination based on his or her

homeless status. It is the intent of this chapter to ameliorate the adverse

effects visited upon individuals and our communities when the state's residents

lack a home.



History of Section.

(P.L. 2012, ch. 316, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 356, § 1.)