HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1504 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1480
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Kimberly N. Ferguson
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to a commission to study the intentional misrepresentation of a service animal.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Kimberly N. Ferguson | 1st Worcester | 1/6/2023 |
Donald H. Wong | 9th Essex | 1/26/2023 |
Sean Garballey | 23rd Middlesex | 1/26/2023 |
Angelo L. D'Emilia | 8th Plymouth | 1/27/2023 |
Bradley H. Jones, Jr. | 20th Middlesex | 1/27/2023 |
Hannah Kane | 11th Worcester | 1/27/2023 |
Meghan K. Kilcoyne | 12th Worcester | 1/27/2023 |
Jessica Ann Giannino | 16th Suffolk | 1/27/2023 |
Susannah M. Whipps | 2nd Franklin | 1/27/2023 |
Joseph D. McKenna | 18th Worcester | 1/27/2023 |
David F. DeCoste | 5th Plymouth | 1/27/2023 |
Lenny Mirra | 2nd Essex | 1/30/2023 |
Carol A. Doherty | 3rd Bristol | 1/30/2023 |
Josh S. Cutler | 6th Plymouth | 1/30/2023 |
F. Jay Barrows | 1st Bristol | 1/30/2023 |
Michael J. Soter | 8th Worcester | 1/30/2023 |
Christopher Hendricks | 11th Bristol | 1/30/2023 |
Alan Silvia | 7th Bristol | 1/30/2023 |
Susan Williams Gifford | 2nd Plymouth | 1/30/2023 |
Kelly W. Pease | 4th Hampden | 1/31/2023 |
David Paul Linsky | 5th Middlesex | 1/31/2023 |
Paul K. Frost | 7th Worcester | 1/31/2023 |
Edward R. Philips | 8th Norfolk | 1/31/2023 |
Anne M. Gobi | Worcester and Hampshire | 1/31/2023 |
Steven Owens | 29th Middlesex | 1/31/2023 |
Steven George Xiarhos | 5th Barnstable | 2/1/2023 |
Thomas P. Walsh | 12th Essex | 2/1/2023 |
Todd M. Smola | 1st Hampden | 2/2/2023 |
David K. Muradian, Jr. | 9th Worcester | 2/6/2023 |
Jack Patrick Lewis | 7th Middlesex | 2/7/2023 |
Patrick M. O'Connor | First Plymouth and Norfolk | 2/8/2023 |
Thomas M. Stanley | 9th Middlesex | 2/9/2023 |
Colleen M. Garry | 36th Middlesex | 2/9/2023 |
William C. Galvin | 6th Norfolk | 2/13/2023 |
Paul McMurtry | 11th Norfolk | 2/15/2023 |
James Arciero | 2nd Middlesex | 2/17/2023 |
Natalie M. Higgins | 4th Worcester | 2/23/2023 |
Christopher Richard Flanagan | 1st Barnstable | 2/23/2023 |
Michael O. Moore | Second Worcester | 3/15/2023 |
Bruce E. Tarr | First Essex and Middlesex | 4/3/2023 |
Brian M. Ashe | 2nd Hampden | 4/5/2023 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1504 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1480
By Representative Ferguson of Holden, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1480) of Kimberly N. Ferguson and others for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to the intentional misrepresentation of a service animal. The Judiciary. |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1563 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to a commission to study the intentional misrepresentation of a service animal.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1.(a) There shall be a special commission established pursuant to section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to study the use of service animals in the Commonwealth. The commission shall consist of 15 members: 2 of whom shall be the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on the judiciary or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; 1 of whom shall be a member of the house of representative to be appointed by the speaker of the house; 1 of whom shall be a member of the house of representatives to be appointed by the house minority leader; 1 of whom shall be a member of the senate to be appointed by the senate president; 1 of whom shall be a member of the senate to be appointed by the senate minority leader; 1 of whom shall be the attorney general or the attorney general’s designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Disability or the executive director’s designee; 1 of whom shall be the chair of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination or the chair’s designee; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the President of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the Commissioner of the Municipal Police Training Committee; 1 of whom shall be appointed by the executive director of the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee; and 3 members who shall be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a professional organization specializing in the advocacy, education, and/or training of service animals, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a professional organization specializing in the advocacy, education, and/or training of other animals, including emotional support, companion, or comfort animals, and 1 of whom shall be a member of an association advocating for the interests of restaurant owners and/or retailers in the Commonwealth.
(b) The study shall include, but not be limited to: (i) reviewing current federal, state, and local laws and procedures governing the use of service animals in the Commonwealth; (ii) examining the use and benefit of service animals by individuals with disabilities in the Commonwealth; (iii) investigating the presence, prevalence, and impact of fraud, misrepresentation, and other misuse of service animals in the Commonwealth; (iv) researching laws and practices in other jurisdictions with the objective to deter the misuse of service animals; (v) identifying training and educational opportunities aimed at increasing understanding of laws governing the use of service animals amongst public officials, law enforcement, business owners, and members of the public in the Commonwealth; (vi) recommending changes to Massachusetts law governing service animals if any, including the definition of “service animal” and whether to introduce legislation prohibiting and civilly penalizing service animal fraud; and (vii) determining feasibility of certification, registration, or licensing of service animals in the Commonwealth.
(c) The commission shall file findings of its study by December 31, 2024, with the clerks of the house and the senate, who shall forward a copy of the report to the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on the judiciary.