Bill Text: NJ A5184 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
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-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman BETH SAWYER
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Requires organizations training disabled veteran assistance dogs to register with DMVA and provide disabled veteran assistance dogs with vests or harnesses.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning disabled veterans and supplementing Chapter 3 of Title 38A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this act:
"Department" means Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
"Disabled veteran assistance dog" means a service dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a veteran with a disability.
"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 Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in accordance with the provisions of this section.
b. The non-profit service dog training organization shall annually register with the department on a form prescribed by the department. The form shall include the name and address of the organization and any other information the department shall prescribe by rule. The application shall be accompanied by a reasonable fee, set by the department, in an amount sufficient to defray the department's expenses incurred in administering and enforcing this section.
3. a. A non-profit service dog training organization registered with the department pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill):
(1) shall provide every disabled veteran assistance dog which the organization trains with 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 subparagraph (2) of this subsection affixed to it; and
(2) may 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.
(3) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the use of the term "disabled veteran assistance dog" by any non-profit service dog training organization who is not registered by the department.
b. 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.
4. In accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs 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 department in accordance with the provisions of this act.
5. This act shall take effect on the first day of the third month next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill stipulates that a non-profit organization that trains a disabled veteran assistance dog is prohibited from operating in this State unless the organization annually registers with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA). The form is to: include the name and address of the organization and any other information prescribed by the DMVA; and be accompanied by a reasonable fee to cover the DMVA's costs in administering the registration program.
Under the bill's provisions, a non-profit organization, registered with the DMVA, is to provide every disabled veteran assistance dog the organization trains with a vest or harness that identifies the dog as a working animal. A non-profit organization which is not registered with the DMVA is prohibited from using the term "disabled veteran assistance dog." As used in the bill: "disabled veteran assistance dog" means a service dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a veteran with a disability.
The vest or harness is to: (1) be labeled, in clearly visible block letters, with the words "DISABLED VETERAN ASSISTANCE DOG" or the acronym of "DVAD" for "disabled veteran assistance dog"; (2) be printed or decorated with an identifiable logo or symbol, developed by the organization, denoting the dog as a disabled veteran assistance dog; or (3) have a patch decorated with the logo or symbol developed by the organization affixed to it. The vest or harness may be worn by a disabled veteran assistance dog whenever the dog accompanies its handler, defined in the bill as a veteran with a disability, in any place where the general public is allowed.
The bill permits the non-profit organization, upon request, to provide the handler of a disabled veteran assistance dog which the organization trains with an identification card. The card is to be printed or decorated with an identifiable logo or symbol, developed by the organization and contain the following information: (1) the name of the handler of the disabled veteran assistance dog to whom the card has been issued; (2) the name and breed of the disabled veteran assistance dog; (3) the name of the organization that trained the handler's disabled veteran assistance dog; and (d) any other information the organization deems appropriate for identification purposes.
The bill also requires the DMVA to adopt requirements that a non-profit service dog training organization must meet in order to train disabled veteran assistance dogs in the State.
