Bill Text: IL HB2897 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Engrossed
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Helping Paws Service Dog Program shall include training service dogs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. Defines "veteran".
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2017-08-25 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 100-0384 [HB2897 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2017-HB2897-Engrossed.html
Bill Title: Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Helping Paws Service Dog Program shall include training service dogs for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. Defines "veteran".
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2017-08-25 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 100-0384 [HB2897 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2017-HB2897-Engrossed.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning criminal law.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Unified Code of Corrections is amended by | ||||||
5 | changing Section 3-12-16 as follows:
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6 | (730 ILCS 5/3-12-16)
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7 | Sec. 3-12-16. Helping Paws Service Dog Program.
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8 | (a) In this Section:
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9 | "Person with a disability" means a person who suffers from | ||||||
10 | a physical or mental
impairment that substantially
limits one | ||||||
11 | or more major life activities.
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12 | "Program" means the Helping Paws Service Dog Program | ||||||
13 | created by this
Section.
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14 | "Service dog" means a dog trained in obedience and task | ||||||
15 | skills to meet
the
needs of a person with a disability.
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16 | "Animal care professional" means a person certified to work | ||||||
17 | in animal
care
related services, such as
grooming, kenneling, | ||||||
18 | and any other related fields.
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19 | "Service dog professional" means a person certified to | ||||||
20 | train service
dogs
by an agency, organization, or
school | ||||||
21 | approved by the Department.
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22 | "Veteran" means an Illinois
resident who is a veteran as | ||||||
23 | defined in subsection (h) of
Section 1491 of Title 10 of the |
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1 | United States Code. | ||||||
2 | (b) The Department may establish the Helping Paws Service | ||||||
3 | Dog Program to
train
committed persons to be
service dog | ||||||
4 | trainers and animal care professionals. The Department shall | ||||||
5 | select
committed persons in
various correctional institutions | ||||||
6 | and facilities to participate in the Program.
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7 | (c) Priority for participation in the Program must be given | ||||||
8 | to committed
persons who either have a high school
diploma or | ||||||
9 | have passed high school equivalency testing.
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10 | (d) The Department may contract with service dog | ||||||
11 | professionals to train
committed persons to be certified
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12 | service dog trainers. Service dog professionals shall train | ||||||
13 | committed persons
in
dog obedience training,
service dog | ||||||
14 | training, and animal health care. Upon successful completion of | ||||||
15 | the
training, a committed
person shall receive certification by | ||||||
16 | an agency, organization, or school
approved by the Department.
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17 | (e) The Department may designate a non-profit organization | ||||||
18 | to select
animals
from humane societies and
shelters for the | ||||||
19 | purpose of being trained as service dogs and for participation
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20 | in any program designed to
train animal care professionals.
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21 | (f) After a dog is trained by the committed person as a | ||||||
22 | service dog, a
review
committee consisting of an equal
number | ||||||
23 | of persons from the Department and the non-profit organization | ||||||
24 | shall
select a person with a disability or a veteran with | ||||||
25 | post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression to
receive | ||||||
26 | the service dog free of charge.
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1 | (g) Employees of the Department shall periodically visit | ||||||
2 | persons with disabilities
who
have received service dogs from
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3 | the Department under this Section to determine whether the | ||||||
4 | needs of the
persons with disabilities or veterans with | ||||||
5 | post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression have been | ||||||
6 | met
by the service dogs trained by committed persons.
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7 | (h) Employees of the Department shall periodically visit | ||||||
8 | committed persons
who
have been certified as service
dog | ||||||
9 | trainers or animal care professionals and who have been paroled | ||||||
10 | or placed
on mandatory supervised
release to determine whether | ||||||
11 | the committed persons are using their skills as
certified | ||||||
12 | service dog trainers or
animal care professionals.
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13 | (Source: P.A. 98-718, eff. 1-1-15; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)
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