Bill Apparently Could Ban Living Room Naps

Jan. 29 -- Residents of Fairfax County, Va., may sleep more soundly tonight, after a state lawmaker moved to withdraw a proposal that sounded like it would have prohibited people snoozing in their kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms and family rooms.

Democratic State Sen. Leslie Byrne insisted the measure was meant only to let authorities in Fairfax County limit how many can live in a house, not tell them where they could or couldn't sleep.

But she said she'd shelve the bill anyway because of the confusion.

The wording of the proposed legislation caught the eye of local media, including The Washington Post, which reported on Saturday that it would "let Fairfax County prohibit its residents from sleeping anywhere but the bedroom."

Byrne today said that was a mischaracterization of her bill.

"It doesn't forbid falling asleep on the Barcalounger," she said, laughing.

‘Living Rooms … Shall Not Be Occupied for Sleeping Purposes’

Still, it's easy to see how the bill's wording could give that impression, admitted Michael Long, a county attorney.

Byrne's amendment says the County Board of Supervisors "may require that habitable spaces such as kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms and family rooms shall not be occupied for sleeping purposes."

The wording was intended to apply only to zoning considerations, Byrne's office said, so that officials could decide not to count kitchens and living rooms when determining if a house is overcrowded.

Furthermore, Byrne stressed, the bill would only apply to houses shared by four or more unrelated adults.

"It doesn't relate to families," she said. Under the bill, "you can have as many people in a family [sharing a house] as you want."

Health and safety concerns prompted her to introduce the legislation, Byrne said, citing recent outbreaks of tuberculosis and other diseases.

‘Houses Turned Into Virtual Hotels’

Overcrowded housing also causes other problems for the community, including hurting property values.