Bill Text: MO HB2262 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Revises the definition of "service dog" to include animals that provide support or therapeutic functions for individuals with psychiatric or mental disabilities
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-05-16 - Referred: Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities(H) [HB2262 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2014-HB2262-Introduced.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE SOMMER.
6466H.02I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal sections 209.150 and 209.200, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to service dogs.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 209.150 and 209.200, RSMo, are repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 209.150 and 209.200, to read as follows:
209.150. 1. Every person with a visual, aural or other disability including diabetes, as disability is defined in section 213.010, shall have the same rights afforded to a person with no such disability to the full and free use of the streets, highways, sidewalks, walkways, public buildings, public facilities, and other public places.
2. Every person with a visual, aural or other disability including diabetes, as disability is defined in section 213.010, is entitled to full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, and privileges of all common carriers, airplanes, motor vehicles, railroad trains, motor buses, taxis, streetcars, boats or any other public conveyances or modes of transportation, hotels, lodging places, places of public accommodation, amusement or resort, and other places to which the general public is invited, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to all persons.
3. Every person with a visual, aural or other disability including diabetes, as disability is defined in section 213.010, shall have the right to be accompanied by a guide dog, hearing dog, or service dog, as defined in section 209.200, which is especially trained for the purpose, in any of the places listed in subsection 2 of this section without being required to pay an extra charge for the guide dog, hearing dog or service dog; provided that such person shall be liable for any damage done to the premises or facilities by such dog.
4. As used in sections 209.150 to 209.190, the term "service dog" [means any dog specifically trained to assist a person with a physical or mental disability by performing necessary tasks or doing work which the person cannot perform. Such tasks shall include, but not be limited to, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving items, carrying supplies, and search and rescue of an individual with a disability] shall be as defined in section 209.200.
209.200. As used in sections [209.200] 209.150 to 209.204, not to exceed the provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act, the following terms shall mean:
(1) "Disability", as defined in section 213.010 including diabetes;
(2) "Service dog", a dog that is being or has been specially trained to do work or perform tasks which benefit a particular person with a disability. Service dog includes but is not limited to:
(a) "Guide dog", a dog that is being or has been specially trained to assist a particular blind or visually impaired person;
(b) "Hearing dog", a dog that is being or has been specially trained to assist a particular deaf or hearing-impaired person;
(c) "Medical alert or [respond] response dog", a dog that is being or has been trained to alert a person with a disability that a particular medical event is about to occur or to respond to a medical event that has occurred;
(d) "Mobility dog", a dog that is being or has been specially trained to assist a person with a disability caused by physical impairments;
(e) "Professional therapy dog", a dog which is selected, trained, and tested to provide specific physical therapeutic functions, under the direction and control of a qualified handler who works with the dog as a team as a part of the handler's occupation or profession. Such dogs, with their handlers, perform such functions in institutional settings, community-based group settings, or when providing services to specific persons who have disabilities. Professional therapy dogs do not include dogs, certified or not, which are used by volunteers in visitation therapy;
(f) “Psychiatric service dog”, a dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks that mitigate the difficulties of its owner with a psychiatric disability including, but not limited to, picking up or retrieving objects, aiding with mobility, alerting or responding to episodes such as panic attacks and anxiety, and performing other tasks directly related to the owner’s specific psychiatric disability. Psychiatric disability includes, but is not limited to, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), autism, anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia;
(g) "Search and rescue dog", a dog that is being or has been trained to search for or prevent a person with a mental disability, including but not limited to verbal and nonverbal autism, from becoming lost;
(3) "Service dog team", a team consisting of a trained service dog, a disabled person or child, and a person who is an adult and who has been trained to handle the service dog.
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