What's happening
This bill allows certified therapy dogs, their owners, and handlers to access public places and transportation in New York.
Why it matters
Expands legal protections to therapy dogs, not just service, guide, or hearing dogs, allowing them access to public places and transportation. This broadens rights for people who use therapy dogs for conditions like autism, addiction, emotional distress, and certain mental health challenges.
Also covers owners, handlers, and licensed trainers of therapy dogs,. ensuring they too can bring the dogs into public spaces during training or when accompanying others, which could help increase the availability and training of therapy dogs.
Defines “therapy dog” in law, specifying certification and training requirements. This aims to ensure only properly trained and recognized therapy dogs are granted these expanded access rights, potentially reducing confusion or misuse.
May improve the well-being and daily function of individuals with a range of needs who benefit from therapy dogs,. while also clarifying responsibilities and standards for businesses, public facilities, and transportation providers regarding access.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Therapy Dogs Ride Everywhere
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2240
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 12, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the transportation law and the civil rights law, in relation to allowing therapy dogs to enter public places and public transportation
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 147 of the transportation law, as amended by chapter 536 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
§ 147. Dogs accompanying persons with a disability. 1. Subject to such rules and regulations as the commissioner may prescribe, all common and contract carriers of passengers by motor vehicle shall permit a guide dog, hearing dog or service dog as defined in section forty-seven-b of the civil rights law, or a therapy dog as defined in section forty-seven of the civil rights law, accompanying a person with a disability, as defined in subdivision twenty-one of section two hundred ninety-two of the executive law, or an owner or handler of such dogs or such person licensed to train such dogs, to accompany, to guide, or otherwise to aid such disabled person, to ride on all vehicles operated for transportation and no charge shall be made for the transportation of such dog.
2. For purposes of this section, "therapy dog" shall mean any dog that is certified and trained to work or perform specific tasks for the benefit of persons including those with special needs, autism, drug addiction, distress due to emotional and physical abuse and clinical depression or bipolar disease by a recognized therapy dog training center or professional therapy dog trainer and is actually used for such purpose.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 47 of the civil rights law, as amended by chapter 404 of the laws of 1986, is amended to read as follows:
1. (a) No person shall be denied admittance to and/or the equal use of and enjoyment of any public facility solely because said person is a
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06099-01-7
S. 2240 2
person with a disability and is accompanied by a guide dog, hearing dog [or], service dog or therapy dog or is an owner or handler of such dog or otherwise a person licensed to train such dogs.
(b) For purposes of this section, "therapy dog" shall mean any dog that is certified and trained to work or perform specific tasks for the benefit of persons including those with special needs, autism, drug addiction, distress due to emotional and physical abuse and clinical depression or bipolar disease by a recognized therapy dog training center or professional therapy dog trainer and is actually used for such purpose.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the transportation law and the civil rights law, in relation to allowing therapy dogs to enter public places and public transportation
Purpose or general idea of bill
Allows for any dog that is certified and trained to work or perform specific tasks for the benefits of persons with special needs to accompany the trainer, owner or handler in public places or on public transportation.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends section 147 of the transportation law Section 2 amends subdivision 1 of section 47 of the civil rights law Section 3 sets the effective date.
Justification
Psychologists have shown a growing interest in animal assisted therapy, a method which uses trained companion animals to aid patients in treatment. Research has shown that animals can lower stress levels and make people feel better in the short term, and axe of particular help to people suffering from depression, seizures, autism, bipolar disorder, and children who have been severely neglected.
Dogs are put through rigorous training and undergo numerous tests before they can be certified as therapy dogs. These tests, which are more extensive than those used for service dogs, are meant to ensure that the animals are socialized and able to handle stress under a variety of different conditions. Therapy dogs are specifically trained to be in crowded and noisy areas.
This legislation would make it easier for therapy dog trainers, owners or patients to travel with the animals by allowing them to bring the dogs into public places and on public transportation, provided that the animals are properly harnessed.
Prior legislative history
2015-2016: S.1043 - Referred to Transportation 2013-2014: S.2831 - Referred to Transportation 2011-12: S.4156/A.132 - Referred to Transportation 2009-2010: A.11468 Referred to Transportation.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.