Bill Text: HI SB2461 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Service Animals.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Passed) 2018-07-12 - Became law without the Governor's signature, Act 217, 07/10/2018, (Gov. Msg. No. 1326). [SB2461 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-SB2461-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
2461 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to service animals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a growing problem with people fraudulently representing untrained dogs as service dogs. This has resulted in legitimate service dogs being attacked by untrained dogs and violations of the food and sanitation code. Currently, there is no consequence for misrepresenting a pet or other dog as a service dog.
The legislature further finds that, generally, a service animal is a dog that is individually trained to work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. The work or task that a service animal has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person's disability. As such, service dogs are working dogs instead of pets, and a dog whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support does not qualify as a service dog under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
The legislature additionally finds that a penalty for misrepresentation of a dog as a service animal would discourage people from fraudulently representing their pets in order to bring the animals into restaurants and other inappropriate locations, and that such penalties are not inconsistent with the spirit of the ADA. The United States Department of Justice has issued guidance on the questions that can be asked of a person to determine if a dog is a service dog, suggesting that it does not violate the ADA to ask such questions.
The legislature also finds that an appropriate definition of "service animal" will help businesses comply with the law
The purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Establish a penalty for fraudulently representing a dog as a service animal; and
(2) Establish a definition of "service animal" that conforms with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
SECTION 2. Chapter 711, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§711- Misrepresentation of a service animal; penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of misrepresentation of a service animal if that person knowingly misrepresents as a service animal any animal that does not meet the requirements of a service animal.
(2) Misrepresentation of a service animal is a
misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six months and a fine
of not less than $250 and not more than $1,000 for the first offense, and not
less than $1,000 and not more than $2,000 for the second offense and each
offense thereafter.
(3) As used in this section, "service animal"
shall have the same meaning as in section 347-2.5.
(4) Nothing in this section is intended to affect any civil remedies available for a violation of this section."
SECTION 3. Section 142-5.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§142-5.5 Service [dogs.] animals.
Any person with a disability who uses the services of a service [dog,]
animal, as defined in section 347-2.5, shall be permitted to reside on
site for the duration of quarantine, if housing is available."
SECTION 4. Section 347-2.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"[[]§347-2.5[]] Service [dog,] animal, defined. As used in this chapter, "service [dog"]
animal" means any dog that is individually trained to do work or
perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a
physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental
disability. [A companion or comfort
animal is not a service dog unless it meets the requirements of this definition
and it accompanies a person for the purpose of performing the work or tasks for
which it has been trained.] Other species of animals, whether wild or
domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of
this definition. The work or tasks
performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's
disability. Examples of work or tasks
include, but are not limited to assisting individuals who are blind or have low
vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or
hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent
protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during
a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items
such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance
with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping
persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or
interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's
presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or
companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this
definition."
SECTION 5. Section 347-13, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
"(b) Every person who is blind, deaf, visually
handicapped, or otherwise disabled shall have the right to be accompanied by a
service [dog,] animal, especially trained for the purpose of
assisting the person in any of the places listed in subsection (a) without
being required to pay an extra charge for the service [dog;] animal;
provided that the person shall be liable for any damage done to the premises or
facilities by the service [dog.] animal. No service [dog] animal shall
be considered dangerous merely because it is unmuzzled."
SECTION 6. Section 347-19, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§347-19 Rights of blind; partially blind. A blind or visually handicapped person not
carrying a cane or using a service [dog] animal in any of the
places, accommodations or conveyances listed in section 347-13, shall have all
of the rights and privileges conferred by law upon other persons, and the
failure of a blind or visually handicapped person to carry a cane or to use a
service [dog] animal in any such places, accommodations, or
conveyances shall not constitute nor be evidence of negligence."
SECTION 7. Section 489-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:
""Service animal" means the same as defined in section 347-2.5."
SECTION 8. Section 489-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§489-3
Discriminatory practices prohibition. Unfair discriminatory practices that deny, or
attempt to deny, a person the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services,
facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of a place of public
accommodation on the basis of race[,]; sex, including gender
identity or expression[,]; sexual orientation[,];
color[,]; religion[,]; ancestry[,];
or disability, including the use of a service animal, are
prohibited."
SECTION 9. Section 711-1109.4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:
1. By amending its title and subsection (1) to read:
"§711-1109.4 Causing injury or death to a service [dog]
animal or law enforcement animal.
(1) A person commits the offense
of causing injury or death to a service [dog] animal or law
enforcement animal if:
(a) The person
recklessly causes substantial bodily injury to or the death of any service [dog]
animal or law enforcement animal while the service [dog] animal or law enforcement animal is in the
discharge of its duties; or
(b) The person is the
owner of a dog and recklessly permits that dog to attack a service [dog]
animal or law enforcement animal while the service [dog] animal or law enforcement animal is in the
discharge of its duties, resulting in the substantial bodily injury or death of
the service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal."
2.
By amending subsections (3) to (5) to read:
"(3) Any person who commits the offense of causing
injury or death to a service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal shall be guilty of a class C felony.
(4) In addition to any other penalties, any person who is convicted of a violation of this section shall be ordered to make restitution to:
(a) The owner of the
service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal for any veterinary bills and out-of-pocket costs incurred as a result of
the injury to the service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal; and
(b) The person,
entity, or organization that incurs the cost of retraining or replacing the
service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal for the cost of retraining or replacing the service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal if it is disabled or killed.
(5)
As used in this section "service [dog"] animal"
shall have the same meaning as in section 347-2.5."
SECTION 10. Section 711-1109.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:
1. By amending its title and subsection (1) to read:
"§711-1109.5 Intentional interference with the use of a
service [dog] animal or law enforcement animal. (1) A
person commits the offense of intentional interference with the use of a
service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal if the person, with no legal justification, intentionally or knowingly
strikes, beats, kicks, cuts, stabs, shoots, or administers any type of harmful
substance or poison to a service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal while the service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal is in the discharge of its duties."
2. By amending subsections (3) and (4) to read:
"(3) Intentional interference with the use of a
service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal is a misdemeanor.
(4) In addition to any other penalties, any person who is convicted of a violation of this section shall be ordered to make restitution to:
(a) The owner of the
service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal for any veterinary bills and out-of-pocket costs incurred as a result of
the injury to the service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal; and
(b) The person,
entity, or organization that incurs the cost of retraining or replacing the
service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal for the cost of retraining or replacing the service [dog] animal or law enforcement
animal, if it is disabled or killed."
3. By amending subsection (6) to read:
"(6) As used in this section, "service [dog"]
animal" shall have the same meaning as in section 347-2.5."
SECTION 11. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 12. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 13. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Service Animals; Misrepresentation; Americans with Disabilities Act
Description:
Establishes the offense of "misrepresentation of a service animal". Changes the term "service dog" to "service animal" and amends the definition of that term to conform with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
