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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Wag the Dog' issue in N.J. service-animal bill | Editorial<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Posted on June 25, 2017 at 7:42 AM <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>By South Jersey Times Editorial Board <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There's a "wag the dog" component in a bill that awaits Gov. Chris Christie's signature after passing the state Senate. The legislation has to do with -- dogs. More specifically, it involves service animals.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In political circles, "wag the dog," means to create a distraction to take citizen and media attention away from a scandal that reflects poorly on an officeholder. Soon after release of Barry Levinson's 1997 movie of the same name that popularized the idiom, President Bill Clinton decided to fire missiles at al-Qaida targets in Afghanistan and the Sudan -- at the same time as Monica Lewinsky was testifying before a grand jury. Many observers called it a prime, real-life example of "wag the dog."<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For a more recent example, look at how and when President Donald Trump issues his most controversial stop-the-presses "tweets."<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>What does this have to do with New Jersey legislation to protect the rights of people with service animals? Just this: There has been to much focus on the punitive aspects of the bill, as in fines, when the more important part addresses a need for less ignorance about laws and policies governing these animals.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>"Charlie's Law," as it has been dubbed, emerged after Cherry Hill High School East prevented 16-year-old Ben Shore, who is on the autism spectrum, from bringing his goldendoodle Charlie with him to class. In a little bit of Statehouse theater, Assembly co-sponsor Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden) allowed Charlie to press the "yes" button when the legislation unanimously passed the Assembly in January. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This past Monday's 38-0 approval in the Senate, which sends "Charlie's Law" to the governor, is a credit to Shore, his persistence, and his willingness to know his rights under state and federal law. That's a lot more than Cherry Hill school district officials knew when they enacted a boneheaded policy that clearly conflicts with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The local policy, since reversed, denied Charlie admittance because the dog was not provided by a recognized agency, and was trained at home to respond to Shore's panic attacks. Such discrimination against "home-schooled" service animals is strictly illegal under the ADA. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The bill allows someone like Shore to call police when gatekeepers of public accommodations let Ben come in, but insist that Charlie stays out. Police can issue summonses with fines starting at $250 for the first infraction, $500 for the second, and $1,000 for each subsequent violation. The money is supposed to go toward educational programs about the rights of people with service animals. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>By all means, Gov. Chris Christie should sign the bill. It would be a genuine feel-good moment if Shore and Charlie were with him at a public ceremony. But, as we noted this winter, police have higher-priority things to do than intervene in disputes over whether or not a dog can be admitted to a restaurant. We don't expect these fines to add up to much, but the need for greater awareness is critical. What kind of compliance program can the state Attorney General's Office establish on fine revenue that may be assessed only a few times each year? An ineffective one.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>So, back to "wag the dog." Fines make good headlines, but lawmakers and the administration should commit to funding sufficiently an effort such that every government building security guard, every ticket-taker at a theater, and every bluenose who sniffs "No dogs allowed!" will know better.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Source:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2017/06/wag_the_dog_issue_in_nj_service-animal_bill_editor.html<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>