Bill Text: NJ A5184 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Amended

---

Bill Title: Requires organizations training disabled veteran assistance dogs to register with Division of Consumer Affairs and provide disabled veteran assistance dogs with vests and harnesses.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-2)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-11-27 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Commerce Committee [A5184 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2022-A5184-Amended.html

---

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5184

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 13, 2023

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  BETH SAWYER

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)

Assemblywoman  CAROL A. MURPHY

District 7 (Burlington)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires organizations training disabled veteran assistance dogs to register with Division of Consumer Affairs and provide disabled veteran assistance dogs with vests or harnesses.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly Budget Committee on June 28, 2023, with amendments.

  

An Act concerning disabled veterans and supplementing ¹[Chapter 3 of Title 38A] Title 56¹ of the ¹[New Jersey] Revised¹ Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.  a.  As used in this act:

     ¹["Department" means Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.]¹

     "Disabled veteran assistance dog" means a service dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a veteran with a disability.

     ¹"Division" means the Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety.¹

     "Handler" means a veteran with a disability.

 

     2.  a.  A non-profit service dog training organization which trains disabled veteran assistance dogs shall not operate in this State unless the organization is registered with the ¹[Department of Military and Veterans Affairs] division¹ in accordance with the provisions of this section.

     b.  The non-profit service dog training organization shall annually register with the ¹[department] division¹ on a form ¹and in a manner¹ prescribed by the ¹[department] division¹.  The form shall include the name and address of the organization and any other information ¹that¹ the ¹[department] division¹ shall prescribe by rule.  ¹The division may set forth requirements for registration, including, but not limited to, a requirement that the organization be registered with or accredited by an organization that provides accreditation for organizations that train assistance dogs or that otherwise accredits service dog training organizations.¹  The application shall be accompanied by a reasonable fee, set by the ¹[department] division¹, in an amount sufficient to defray the ¹[department's] division's¹ expenses incurred in administering and enforcing this section.

    

     3.  a.  A non-profit service dog training organization registered with the ¹[department] division¹ pursuant to section 2 of P.L.    , c.    (C.      ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):

organization trains ¹[with] , upon request by the handler of the disabled veteran assistance dog,¹ a vest or harness that identifies the dog as a working animal.  The vest or harness shall:

     (a) be labeled, in clearly visible block letters, with the words "DISABLED VETERAN ASSISTANCE DOG" or the acronym of
"DVAD" for "disabled veteran assistance dog";

     (b) be printed or decorated with an identifiable logo or symbol, developed by the organization, denoting the dog as a disabled veteran assistance dog; or

     (c) have a patch decorated with the logo or symbol developed by the organization pursuant to ¹[subparagraph] paragraph¹ (2) of this subsection affixed to it; and

     (2) ¹[may] shall¹ provide, upon request, the handler of a disabled veteran assistance dog which the organization trains with an identification card, printed or decorated with an identifiable logo or symbol, developed by the organization, containing the following information:

     (a) the name of the handler of the disabled veteran assistance dog to whom the card has been issued;

     (b) the name and breed of the disabled veteran assistance dog;

     (c) the name of the non-profit service dog training organization that trained the handler's disabled veteran assistance dog; and

     (d) any other information the non-profit organization deems appropriate for identification purposes.

     ¹[(3)] b.¹  Nothing in ¹[this]¹ subsection ¹a. of this section¹ shall be construed to authorize the use of the term "disabled veteran assistance dog" by any non-profit service dog training organization ¹[who] that¹ is not registered ¹[by] with¹ the ¹[department] division¹ .

     ¹[b.] c.¹  A vest or harness provided by a non-profit service dog training organization pursuant to subsection a. of this section may be worn by a disabled veteran assistance dog whenever the dog accompanies its handler in any place where the general public is allowed.

 

     ¹4.  It shall be an unlawful practice and a violation of P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.) for any organization to violate any provision of P.L.    , c.    (C.       ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).¹

 

     ¹[4.] 5.¹  In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the ¹[Department of Military and Veterans Affairs] Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety¹ shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act, including the requirements that a non-profit service dog training organization must meet in order to register with the ¹[department] division¹ in accordance with the provisions of this act

 

     ¹[5.] 6.¹  This act shall take effect on the first day of the ¹[third] eighteenth¹ month next following the date of enactment.