2019 -- H 5299

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LC001237

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES - EQUAL RIGHTS OF BLIND AND DEAF PERSONS

TO PUBLIC FACILITIES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Hawkins, Lima, Phillips, Noret, and Serodio

     Date Introduced: February 06, 2019

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 40-9.1-1, 40-9.1-1.1, 40-9.1-2, 40-9.1-2.1, 40-9.1-3 and 40-9.1-5

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of the General Laws in Chapter 40-9.1 entitled "Equal Rights of Blind and Deaf Persons to Public

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Facilities" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     40-9.1-1. Declaration of policy.

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     It is the policy of this state that:

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     (a) Persons who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard-of-hearing and otherwise

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disabled or otherwise have a disability have the same rights as the able-bodied to the full and free

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use of the streets, highways, walkways, public buildings, public facilities and other public places.

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     (b) Persons who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard-of-hearing and otherwise

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disabled or otherwise have a disability are entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages,

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facilities and privileges on any public conveyance operated on land or water or in the air, or any

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stations and terminals thereof, not limited to taxis, airplanes, motor vehicles, railroad trains,

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motor buses, street cars, boats and in any educational institution, not limited to any kindergarten,

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primary and secondary school, trade or business school, high school, academy, college and

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university, and in places of public resort, accommodation, assemblage or amusement, not limited

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to hotels, lodging places, restaurants, theater and in all other places to which the general public is

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invited, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to

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all persons.

 

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     (c) Persons who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard-of-hearing and otherwise

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disabled persons shall be entitled to rent, lease or purchase, as other members of the general

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public, any housing accommodations offered for rent, lease or other compensation in this state,

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subject to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons.

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     40-9.1-1.1. Definitions.

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     (1) "Disability" means a disability as defined in § 42-87-1.

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     (a)(2) "Guide dog" means a dog that has been or is being specially trained to aid a

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particular blind or visually impaired person.

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     (b)(3) "Hearing dog" means a dog that has been or is being specially trained to aid a

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particular deaf or hard-of-hearing person.

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     (c) "Housing accommodations" means any real property or portion thereof that is used or

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occupied, or intended, arranged or designed to be used or occupied, as the home, residence or

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sleeping place of one or more human beings, but does not include any single-family residence the

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occupants of which rent, lease or furnish for compensation to more than one room therein.

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     (d) "Personal assistance animal" means a dog that has been or is being trained as a guide

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dog, hearing dog or service dog.

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     (e) "Service dog" means a dog that has been or is being specially trained to aid a

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particular disabled person with a disability other than sight or hearing.

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     (f) "Disabled" means a disability as defined in § 42-87-1.

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     (g) "Closed-captioning" means a transcript or dialog of the audio portion of a television

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program that is displayed on a television receiver screen when the user activates the feature.

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     (h) "Public area" means a part of a place of public accommodation that is open to the

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general public.

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     (i) "Regular hours" means the hours of any day in which a place of public

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accommodation is open to members of the general public.

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     (4) "Public area" means a part of a place listed in § 40-9.1-1 that is open to the general

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public.

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     (5) "Regular hours" means the hours of any day in which a public place of a place listed

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in § 40-9.1-1 is open to members of the general public.

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     (6) "Service animal" means a dog that has been or is being specifically trained to assist an

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individual with a disability, and includes a guide dog or hearing dog.

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     40-9.1-2. Personal assistance animals in public places.

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     Every disabled person with a disability has the right to be accompanied by a personal

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assistance service animal, specially trained for that person in any housing accommodation or in

 

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any places place listed in § 40-9.1-1(b) and (c) without being required to pay an extra charge for

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the personal assistance animal. Each disabled person with a disability using a personal assistance

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service animal is solely liable for any damage done to persons, premises or facilities by the

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personal assistance service animal.

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     40-9.1-2.1. Trainers of personal assistance animals and dogs in training.

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     Every trainer or puppy raiser of a personal assistance service animal shall have the same

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rights and privileges as stated in § 40-9.1-2 for every person with a disability. Each trainer or

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puppy raiser during the training of a personal assistance service animal is liable for any damage

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done to persons, premises or facilities by that personal assistance service animal.

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     40-9.1-3. Penalty for injuring or interfering with a personal assistance animal --

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Civil actions -- Damages -- Cost and attorney's fees. Penalty for injuring or interfering with

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a service animal -- Civil actions -- Damages -- Cost and attorneys' fees.

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     (a) It is unlawful for any person, corporation or the agent of any corporation to:

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     (1) Withhold, deny, deprive or attempt to withhold, deny or deprive any other person of

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any right or privilege secured by §§ 40-9.1-2 and 40-9.1-2.1;

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     (2) Intimidate, threaten, coerce, or attempt to threaten, intimidate or coerce any other

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person to interfere with any right or privilege secured by §§ 40-9.1-2 and 40-9.1-2.1;

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     (3) Punish or attempt to punish any person for exercising or attempting to exercise any

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right or privilege secured by §§ 40-9.1-2 and 40-9.1-2.1;

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     (b) It is unlawful for any person to injure a personal assistance service animal and shall

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be liable for the injuries to the assistance service animal and if necessary the replacement and

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compensation for the loss of the personal assistance service animal.

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     (c) It is unlawful for the owner of a dog an animal to allow that dog their animal to injure

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a personal assistance service animal because the owner failed to control or leash the dog the

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service animal. The owner shall also be liable for the injuries to the personal assistance dog

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service animal and if necessary the replacement and compensation for the loss of the personal

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assistance service animal.

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     (d) Any person who violates subsection (a)(1) is guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person

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who purposely or negligently violates subsection (a)(2) or (a)(3) is guilty of a misdemeanor.

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Violations shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months

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or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100), or by both fine and imprisonment. Any

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person or corporation who violates subsections (a), (b), or (c) is also liable to the person whose

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rights under §§ 40-9.1-2 and 40-9.1-2.1 were violated for actual damages for any economic loss

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and/or punitive damages, to be recovered by a civil action in a court in and for the county in

 

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which the infringement of civil rights occurred or in which the defendant lives.

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     (e) In an action brought under this section, the court shall award costs and reasonable

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attorney's fees to the prevailing party.

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     40-9.1-5. Family therapy pets in public places. Therapy pets in public places.

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     (a) The privileges of access and transportation provided to personal assistance service

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animals in § 40-9.1-2 shall be extended to family therapy pets which are further defined as

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primary companions which include, but are not limited to, dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs,

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that are working in the provision of pet assisted therapy treatment and education.

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     (b) The provisions are such that the pet assisted therapy facilitator is working in

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conjunction with the family therapy pet in a predetermined medical or educational setting, with a

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selected clientele. The medical interactions are to be individually planned, goal-oriented, and

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treatment based, and the educational settings are to be classroom based.

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     (c) Throughout the interactions, the pet assisted therapy facilitator and the family therapy

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pet will abide by a set code of ethics, and will follow professional guidelines to ensure that the

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actions and deeds of the pet assisted therapy facilitator reflect advocacy of profession, pets, and

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clients, and other professions; while simultaneously ensuring that the interaction of the family

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therapy pet and client remains beneficial and strives to enhance the quality of life through this

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animal-human bond.

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     (d) Prior to any interactions, the family therapy pet must first meet the immunization

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criteria, a current certificate of good health, which shall be issued by a licensed, practicing

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veterinarian, as well as the temperament criteria, a certificate of good temperament, which shall

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be issued from a certified or practicing dog trainer or animal behaviorist, and training criteria, in

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which the pet assisted therapy facilitator and the family therapy pet learn to work as a team

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learning together to execute safely and effective interaction, which are accepted in the field,

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specifically other pet assisted animal facilitators, veterinarians, dog trainers, animal behaviorists

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and the state of Rhode Island.

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     (e) Access and transportation privileges are only extended while the family therapy pet is

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on the way to or actively participating in a program.

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     (f) The animal assisted therapy facilitator, an individual who has successfully completed

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or is in the process of completing an accepted pet assisted therapy program, shall be responsible

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for the control and safety of the pet, which is to include cleaning up and elimination of wastes,

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keeping the pet on a proper leash and collar, carrying a smaller animal in a travel crate, adhering

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to all standard rules, regulations, and laws within both the facility and the state of Rhode Island,

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and upholding an active insurance policy that will cover an unforeseen mishap and/or accidental

 

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occurrence which may result in causing property damage and/or personal injury while actively

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participating in a program.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 40-9.1 of the General Laws entitled "Equal Rights of Blind and

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Deaf Persons to Public Facilities" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections:

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     40-9.1-3.1. Misrepresentation of service animal.

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     (a) It is a violation of this chapter for an individual to take an animal into a public area

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where pets are not permitted, and state that the animal is a service animal entitled to be present, if

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the animal is not a service animal.

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     (b) Businesses may post a decal suitable in a front window or door, stating that service

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animals are welcome and that misrepresentation of a service animal is a violation of Rhode Island

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law; and

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     (c) It shall be a violation for any individual to misrepresent a pet or any other animal as a

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service animal when attempting to gain access to or remain in a public area. A violation of this

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section occurs when:

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     (1) An individual expressly represents that an animal in their possession is a service

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animal for the purpose of obtaining any rights or privileges afforded to persons with disabilities

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accompanied by service animals, but unavailable to people and their pets or other animals; and

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     (2) Said individual knew or should have known that the animal in question did not meet

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the definition of a service animal.

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     (d) A violation of this section shall be deemed a civil violation, punishable by up to thirty

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(30) hours of community service for an organization that serves individuals with disabilities at the

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discretion of the court.

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     40-9.1-7. Non-interference with federal law.

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     Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to interfere with any rights provided by federal

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law to individuals with disabilities.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES - EQUAL RIGHTS OF BLIND AND DEAF PERSONS

TO PUBLIC FACILITIES

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     This act would prohibit misrepresentation of the status of an animal as a service animal in

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order to acquire any right or privilege afforded disabled persons.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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