[Flagdu] New FL service dog law

[Sherrill O'Brien]

Hello Toni,

I realize you attended on behalf of the agency you work for, but we as
flagdu members are pleased you were there representing us as well. I checked
with Marion about a couple of my concerns, but he assured me the content of
the bill is not straying from the ADA and the FHA. The latter can be
confusing, as it is broader than the ADA. This bill includes emotional
support animals in the section dealing with housing. It seems this language
was spurred by the concerns for veterans with service or emotional support
dogs who deal with traumatic brain injury or PTSD.

This bill also includes criminal penalties for fraudulently asserting that a
pet is a service animal in order to gain access to a public place. The
charge is a second degree misdemeanor, the same as currently applicable  to
access denial by businesses. The punishment in this new law is spelled out
to be thirty hours of community service preferably at a facility which
serves those with disabilities.
 
I'll send the link where you can read the text of the bill.

Thanks again, Toni.

Sherrill 
-----Original Message-----
From: Flagdu [mailto:flagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Toni King
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 11:15 AM
To: flagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Flagdu] New FL service dog law

Hello Everyone,
I attended the Senate hearing on house bill 849 yesterday. I was there 
in a dual roll. 1. Representing myself as a service dog handler and 2. 
On behalf of my agency The Lighthouse of the Big Bend.
There was two people who spoke. One man with a medical alert dog and a 
lady representing a service dog  agency. Sorry I can not recall at the 
moment the name of her agency.
The bill was passed with no one voting against the bill.

So now Florida has a state bill to support the Federal ADA as so many 
other states have.
Take Care,
Toni

-- 
Check out my blog
www.samobile.net/users/tkk/

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature.... Life 
is either a daring adventure or nothing.
   Helen Keller, The Open Door (1957)

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras

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