Bill Text: MI HB4843 | 2017-2018 | 99th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Animals; dogs; pilot program for veterans to train their own service dogs; create. Creates new act.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-08-16 - Bill Electronically Reproduced 07/12/2017 [HB4843 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2017-HB4843-Introduced.html
HOUSE BILL No. 4843
July 12, 2017, Introduced by Reps. Brann and Kosowski and referred to the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.
A bill to create a veterans training service dog pilot
program; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state
entities; to create a veterans training service dog pilot program
fund; and to provide for the use of the fund.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. As used in this act:
(a) "Department" means the department of military and veterans
affairs.
(b) "Eligible veteran" means an individual who received a
referral to the program from a mental health professional and
served in the United States Armed Forces, including the reserve
components, and was discharged or released under conditions other
than dishonorable.
(c) "Follow-along support services" means training and support
services provided to a participant after the fostering and training
of the participant's dog is complete.
(d) "Fund" means the veterans training service dog pilot
program fund created in section 3.
(e) "Participant" means a selected eligible veteran that has
agreed to participate in the program.
(f) "Program" means the veterans training service dog pilot
program created in section 5.
Sec. 3. (1) The veterans training service dog pilot program
fund is created within the state treasury.
(2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from
any source for deposit into the fund, including general fund
appropriations, gifts, state and federal grants, and bequests. The
state treasurer shall direct the investment of the fund. The state
treasurer shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund
investments.
(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year must
remain in the fund and not lapse to the general fund.
(4) The department is the administrator of the fund for
auditing purposes.
(5) The department shall expend money from the fund, upon
appropriation, only for the following purposes:
(a) To award grants to nonprofit entities as provided under
this act.
(b) To carry out its duties under this act.
Sec. 5. (1) The veterans training service dog pilot program is
created in the department. The 5-year program must do all of the
following:
(a) Identify no more than 10 participants who are each paired
with a dog capable of performing as a service dog.
(b) Provide any necessary funding from the fund to a nonprofit
entity to implement the program as provided in section 7.
(c) Provide each participant who completes the program with
the opportunity to adopt the dog trained by that participant.
(2) The department must establish and publish the selection
criteria for eligible veterans, dogs, and nonprofit entities as
provided in this act within 180 days after the effective date of
this act.
(3) Within 1 year after the conclusion of the program, the
department shall submit a report to the standing committees of the
house of representatives and senate responsible for legislation
concerning military affairs and concerning agriculture. The report
must include the following:
(a) The number of veterans who participated in the program.
(b) A description of the services provided under the program.
(c) An assessment of the report submitted under section
7(2)(e).
(d) The department's recommendation on expanding or extending
the program.
Sec. 7. (1) A nonprofit entity is eligible to apply to the
department to implement this program if the nonprofit entity has a
long history of providing a variety of support services to the
veteran population within this state and is able to identify and
willing to partner with an organization that is qualified to train
service dogs.
(2) The department shall require a nonprofit entity awarded a
grant to do all of the following:
(a) Select its participants based on the criteria published by
the department under section 5.
(b) With input from the participant, select a dog based upon
the participant's specific and individual needs.
(c) Assist in placing the selected dog with the participant.
(d) Provide training, mentoring, and follow-along services to
participants while they train their selected dog and to
participants who complete the program and are willing to train a
subsequent dog for another eligible veteran who is physically
unable to complete the training program.
(e) Report measurable outcomes and an evaluation of those
outcomes to the department within 180 days of the program's
completion. A report submitted under this subdivision must include
the following information related to participants:
(i) Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and post-
deployment adjustment difficulties, including, but not limited to,
depression, maintenance of sobriety, suicidal ideations, and
homelessness.
(ii) Physiological markers that possibly relate to the
interactions with service dogs.
(iii) Family dynamics.
(iv) Insomnia and pain management.
(v) Overall well-being.
Enacting section 1. This act takes effect 90 days after the
date it is enacted into law.