By Mr. Fennell of Lynn, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1879) of Robert F. Fennell relative to alcohol and drug abuse by residents of homeless shelters in the Commonwealth.  Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Robert F. Fennell

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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An Act relative to homeless shelters in the Commonwealth. .

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 2 of Chapter 270 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting at the end thereof the following:-

Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, shelters, lodging houses, and facilities housing the homeless shall prohibit the consumption of alcohol or any narcotic on the facility grounds. In addition, each shelter or lodging house, as defined, shall also make available to its residents an alcohol and drug abuse program, to be administered by said facility in conjunction with the state department of Public Health.