SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO. 19

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER PAYNE
 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AP 19: TENANT EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION.

EXISTING LAW GOVERNS THE HIRING OF REAL PROPERTY, INCLUDING THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF LANDLORDS AND TENANTS.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE LANDLORDS TO RETAIN EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR EACH TENANT.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

AP 19: RELATING TO TENANCY

WHEREAS, AN AVERAGE OF 18 PERCENT OF THE UNITED STATES POPULATION LIVES ALONE, AND APPROXIMATELY 160 PERSONS PER DAY DIE ALONE AT HOME; AND

WHEREAS, 42 PERCENT OF PEOPLE LIVING ALONE LIVE IN RENTAL ACCOMMODATIONS; AND

WHEREAS, RESEARCH SHOWS THAT LIVING ALONE IS CONSIDERED A PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FACTOR FOR MORTALITY IN MEN, AND MEN THAT LIVE ALONE HAVE A HIGHER RATE OF DYING FROM POTENTIALLY CURABLE DISEASES, SUCH AS PNEUMONIA; AND

WHEREAS, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HAS DETERMINED THAT OLDER PEOPLE LIVING ALONE ARE AN AT-RISK GROUP, AND LIVING ALONE IS A RECOGNIZED MORTALITY PREDICTOR; AND

WHEREAS, A TENANT’S NEXT OF KIN MAY BE URGENTLY NEEDED WHEN THAT TENANT’S LIFE IS IN JEOPARDY, WHEN THE TENANT IS MISSING FROM HIS OR HER APARTMENT FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, OR WHEN THE TENANT CANNOT BE CONTACTED AND THERE IS A NATURAL OR MANMADE DISASTER AFFECTING THE APARTMENT; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2010 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT LANDLORDS BE REQUIRED TO RETAIN CURRENT EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR EACH TENANT, AND THAT TENANTS BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE DETAILS FOR AT LEAST ONE PERSON, WHOM THEY DESIGNATE AS THEIR EMERGENCY CONTACT, AND IF A TENANT REFUSES TO GIVE EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION, OR HAS NO PERSON TO DESIGNATE AS AN EMERGENCY CONTACT, HE OR SHE MUST SIGN A FORM INDICATING THAT HE OR SHE ELECTED NOT TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO THE LANDLORD; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN 10 13848

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