HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1504        FILED ON: 1/18/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1480

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Kimberly N. Ferguson

_________________

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.

_______________

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 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

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

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.