PRINTER'S NO. 2858
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1995
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY MURT, CALTAGIRONE, CHARLTON, DEAN, DRISCOLL,
W. KELLER, D. MILLER, RABB, RAPP, READSHAW, STEPHENS, THOMAS
AND WARD, JANUARY 3, 2018
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
JANUARY 3, 2018
AN ACT
Amending Title 3 (Agriculture) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in domestic animals, providing for therapy dogs.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 23 of Title 3 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a subchapter to read:
SUBCHAPTER F.1
THERAPY DOGS
Sec.
2370. Public transportation.
§ 2370. Public transportation.
(a) General rule.--A public transportation authority may
not:
(1) Deny, limit, discourage or attempt to impose burdens
or penalties on an individual with a disability who is
accompanied by a therapy dog that is properly harnessed for
the purposes of aiding and guiding the individual and riding
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on a vehicle operated for public transportation.
(2) Deny or limit a therapy dog that is properly
harnessed and accompanying an individual with a disability,
an owner or handler of a therapy dog or an individual
licensed to train therapy dogs from aiding and guiding an
individual with a disability or from riding on a vehicle
operated for public transportation.
(3) Charge a fee for the transportation of a therapy
dog.
(b) Rules and regulations.--The department shall promulgate
rules and regulations necessary to implement this subchapter.
(c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Public transportation authority." The term shall have the
same meaning as "authority" as defined in 74 Pa.C.S. § 1701
(relating to definitions).
"Recognized therapy dog training organization." An
organization which certifies or registers therapy dogs and
therapy dog handlers.
"Therapy dog." A dog that is trained to work or perform
specific tasks for the benefit of individuals, including those
with special needs, autism, drug addiction, distress due to
emotional and physical abuse and clinical depression or bipolar
disorder by a recognized therapy dog training organization and
is used for that purpose.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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