Bill Text: NH HB513 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relative to allowing the use of therapy animals or facility dogs for therapeutic purposes in proceedings involving children or certain other persons.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-11-05 - Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate [HB513 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2019-HB513-Introduced.html
HB 513 - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-0219
08/05
HOUSE BILL 513
SPONSORS: Rep. Rogers, Merr. 28; Rep. Tanner, Sull. 9; Rep. Schultz, Merr. 18; Rep. MacKay, Merr. 14; Rep. Bartlett, Merr. 19; Rep. Lane, Merr. 12; Rep. Berrien, Rock. 18; Rep. Buchanan, Merr. 15; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5
COMMITTEE: Judiciary
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ANALYSIS
This bill allows the use of therapy animals and facility dogs in certain court proceedings involving children or certain other persons.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
19-0219
08/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Facility Dogs and Therapy Animals; Victim and Witness Testimony. Amend RSA 516 by inserting after section 7-a the following new section:
516:7-b Facility Dogs and Therapy Animals; Victim and Witness Testimony.
I. In this section:
(a) "Facility dog" means a dog that has been trained, evaluated, and certified as a facility dog pursuant to industry standards and provides unobtrusive emotional support to children and adults in facility settings.
(b) "Therapy animal" means an animal that has been trained, evaluated, and certified as a therapy animal pursuant to industry standards by an organization that certifies animals as appropriate to provide animal therapy.
II. When taking the testimony of a victim or witness under the age of 18, a person who has an intellectual disability, a victim of a sexual offense, or a witness to a sexual offense, the court may allow the use of a facility dog or therapy animal in any proceeding involving a sexual offense, child abuse, abandonment, or neglect. When considering whether to allow a victim or witness under the age of 18, a person who has intellectual disability, a victim of a sexual offense, or a witness to a sexual offense to testify with the assistance of a facility dog or therapy animal, the court shall consider the current age of the victim or witness, the age of the victim or witness when the offense occurred, the interests of the victim or witness, the rights of the parties to the litigation, and any other factor the court deems relevant to the issue of whether the victim or witness should be afforded access to a therapy or facility dog when testifying.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
