Bill Text: GA HB52 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

Georgia House Bill 52 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Disabled persons with service dog; schools, colleges, and universities; add provisions

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2012-01-09 - Senate Recommitted [HB52 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB52-Introduced.html

11 LC 28 5361

House Bill 52

By: Representative Bearden of the 68th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Code Section 30-4-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to right of disabled persons to be accompanied by guide dog or service dog, so as to change certain terminology; to add public and private schools, public and private colleges, and public and private universities to the places where disabled persons may be accompanied by a guide or service dog; to prohibit the requiring of extra deposits for persons with guide or service dogs; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Code Section 30-4-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to right of disabled persons to be accompanied by guide dog or service dog, is amended by revising the Code section as follows:

"30-4-2.

(a) Blind persons, persons with visual disabilities, persons with physical disabilities, and deaf persons are entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges on all common carriers, airplanes, motor vehicles, railroad trains, motor buses, streetcars, boats, or any other public conveyances or modes of transportation and at public or private schools, public or private colleges, public or private universities, hotels, lodging places, places of public accommodation, amusement, or resort, and other places to which the general public is invited, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons.

(b)(1) Every totally or partially blind person shall have the right to be accompanied by a guide dog, and every physically disabled person and every deaf person shall have the right to be accompanied by a service dog, especially trained for the purpose, in any of the places listed in subsection (a) of this Code section without being required to pay an any extra deposit or charge for the guide or service dog; provided, however, that he or she shall be liable for any damage done to the premises or facilities by such dog. In addition, if such totally or partially blind person, physically disabled person, or deaf person is a student at a private or public school in this state, such person shall have the right to be accompanied by a guide dog or service dog subject to liability for damage as provided in the preceding sentence. The guide dog or service dog must be identified as having been trained by a school for seeing eye, hearing, service, or guide dogs.

(2) Every person engaged in the training of a guide dog or service dog for the purpose of accompanying a person as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall have the same right to be accompanied by such dog being trained as the totally or partially blind person, deaf person, or physically disabled person has under paragraph (1) of this subsection, so long as such trainer is identified as an agent or employee of a school for seeing eye, hearing, service, or guide dogs.

(3) Every person engaged in the raising of a dog for training as a guide dog or service dog for the purpose of accompanying a person as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall have the same right to be accompanied by such dog being raised for training as the totally or partially blind person, deaf person, or physically disabled person has under paragraph (1) of this subsection, so long as:

(A) Such dog is being held on a leash and is under the control of the person raising such dog for an accredited school for seeing eye, hearing, service, or guide dogs;

(B) Such person has on his or her person and available for inspection credentials from the accredited school for which the dog is being raised; and

(C) Such dog is wearing a collar, leash, or other appropriate apparel or device that identifies such dog with the accredited school for which such dog is being raised.

(c) Every totally or partially blind person operating a vending stand shall have the right to be accompanied by a trained guide dog on the entire premises of his or her vending operation."

SECTION 2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.