Bill Text: NY A08926 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Convenes a working group to examine the need for standards for the designation of therapy dogs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-12 - substituted by s7319 [A08926 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-A08926-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          8926
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                     January 8, 2018
                                       ___________
        Introduced by M. of A. TITONE -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Agriculture
        AN  ACT to amend a chapter of the laws of 2017, amending the agriculture
          and markets law relating to examining the need for standards  for  the
          designation  of  therapy dogs and the definition and identification of
          therapy dogs, in relation to examining the need for standards for  the
          designation of therapy dogs
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. Section 1 of a chapter of the laws of  2017,  amending  the
     2  agriculture and markets law relating to examining the need for standards
     3  for  the  designation of therapy dogs and the definition and identifica-
     4  tion of therapy dogs, as proposed in legislative bills numbers  S.  6565
     5  and A. 6801-A, is amended to read as follows:
     6    Section 1. The commissioner of agriculture and markets shall convene a
     7  working  group  to  examine the need for statewide standards for therapy
     8  dogs, as such term is defined in subdivision 26 of section 108 of  arti-
     9  cle 7 of the agriculture and markets law, including, but not limited to,
    10  training, evaluation and certification procedures for the designation of
    11  a  dog as a "therapy dog" and the need for identification, education and
    12  information for the public about such dogs, the rights and  responsibil-
    13  ities  of  such  dog  owners,  the  use of such dogs in institutions and
    14  facilities and the distinction between such dogs  and  service  dogs  or
    15  animals  and  other  similar  dogs  or animals such as emotional support
    16  animals. The  [commissioner]  working  group  shall  [consult  with  the
    17  commissioners]  include  representatives from the department of agricul-
    18  ture and markets, the department of health [and], the office  of  mental
    19  health, the division of human rights [and], the office of alcoholism and
    20  substance  abuse  services,  the office of children and family services,
    21  the office for the aging, the division of veterans' affairs and relevant
    22  stakeholders, including but not limited to, representatives of  the  dog
    23  training industry, the disability community, animal protection organiza-
    24  tions,  the  business  community,  local  government  officials, and the
    25  medical and mental health community and professionals, among others  [in

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10693-07-8
        A. 8926                             2

     1  reviewing the need for the establishment of such state standards and any
     2  other  recommendations  related  to  the  commissioner's  findings]. The
     3  [commissioner] working group shall report to the governor, the temporary
     4  president  of  the  senate and the speaker of the assembly no later than
     5  October 1, 2018 on the [commissioner's] findings regarding the need  for
     6  standards and public information regarding therapy dogs.
     7    §  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect on the same date and in the same
     8  manner as a chapter of the laws of 2017, amending  the  agriculture  and
     9  markets  law relating to examining the need for standards for the desig-
    10  nation of therapy dogs and the definition and identification of  therapy
    11  dogs,  as  proposed  in legislative bills numbers S. 6565 and A. 6801-A,
    12  takes effect.