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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><a href="http://postonpolitics.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2015/03/30/fake-service-dog-bill-passes-house/"><span style='color:#416ED2;text-decoration:none'>http://postonpolitics.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2015/03/30/fake-service-dog-bill-passes-house/</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=converted-anchor>24</span><o:p></o:p></p><p>A bill that makes it a misdemeanor to pass your pooch off as a service dog passed the House on Friday and has its first committee stop in the Senate this afternoon.<a href="https://cmgpbppostonpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/11074822_10153163249367241_121988201_n.jpg"><span style='color:#416ED2;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=448 height=746 id=a3b49359-c5be-4e93-a355-99f588299b19 src="https://cmgpbppostonpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/11074822_10153163249367241_121988201_n.jpg?w=239&h=398" alt="11074822_10153163249367241_121988201_n"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p style='max-width: 100%'><a href="https://cmgpbppostonpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/hb-71.pdf"><span style='color:#416ED2;text-decoration:none'>HB 71</span></a> received a unanimous vote on the House floor on Friday, after breezing through three committees with unanimous votes.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='max-width: 100%'>The bill is the second attempt by Rep. Jimmie Smith, R-Inverness, who said he filed this year’s bill after he was approached by disability rights groups about the increase in pet owners misrepresenting their pets as service animals to gain entry into restaurants, supermarkets, retail stores, hotels and other public places. Last year’s bill failed when it was not called up for a committee hearing.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='max-width: 100%'>This year’s bill makes it a second-degree misdemeanor to misrepresent a dog as a service animal and also a second-degree misdemeanor to harass disabled persons with a service animals about their disability and need for the dog. During the bill’s final hearing in the House, a disabled veteran with PTSD and shrapnel in his back said because his wounds cannot be seen he is often challenged about his disabilities and need for his dog<o:p></o:p></p><p style='max-width: 100%'>Although much of the bill reiterates rights and rules included in the Americans with Disabilities Act, in also makes misrepresenting your pet as a service animal or harassing a disabled person with a service dog a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by 30 hours of community service for an organization that assists the disabled or other group decided by a judge. The community service must be completed within six months.<o:p></o:p></p><p style='max-width: 100%'>“It’s so easy to basically defraud the system,” Smith said. “All you have to do is buy a vest or tags and when you’re challenged you say, “talk to my lawyer.””<o:p></o:p></p><p style='max-width: 100%'>To combat that defense, Smith’s bill also includes two questions that businesses can ask: Is the animal a a service animal required because of a disability? What tasks has the animal been trained to perform?<o:p></o:p></p><p style='max-width: 100%'>A amendment to the Senate version of the bill, <a href="https://cmgpbppostonpolitics.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/0414.pdf"><span style='color:#416ED2;text-decoration:none'>SB 414</span></a>, filed on Friday brings the bill closer to the House bill. Today’s hearing at 4 p.m. will be broadcast life on <a href="http://thefloridachannel.org/"><span style='color:#416ED2;text-decoration:none'>The Florida Channel.</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p style='max-width: 100%'>POLITICS NEWS DELIVERED TO YOU<o:p></o:p></p><p style='max-width: 100%'>Sign up now for the Post on Politics newsletter to get award-winning Legislature and politics coverage delivered to your mailbox every Friday, <a href="http://mypalmbeachpost.com/politicsnewsletter"><span style='color:#416ED2;text-decoration:none'>mypalmbeachpost.com/politicsnewsletter</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="x-msg://7/"><b><span style='color:#416ED2;text-decoration:none'>See More Posts</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>