Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns training of employees about access to public facilities for individuals with service or guide dogs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning training of employees about access to public facilities for individuals with service or guide dogs and supplementing P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Any employer who has one or more employees who serve customers or other individuals in a place of public accommodation or other public facility, or who otherwise have the ability to provide or deny access to the place or facility, shall provide training to those employees regarding the right of an individual with a disability to have a guide or service dog in a place of public accommodation or other public facility pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1971, c.130 (C.10:5-29 et seq.), P.L.1977, c.456 (C.10:5-29.1 et seq.), and the "Americans with Disabilities Act" of 1990, Pub.L.101-336 (42 U.S.C. s.12101 et seq.). An employer may satisfy the training requirements of this section by utilizing training that may be provided at no cost by the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety, the New Jersey State Bar Association, or any other entity, or may, at its discretion, implement a training program at its own cost. The provisions of this section shall be administered and enforced by the division pursuant to the authority vested in it by the "Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.). The division shall set minimum standards for the training and make those standards available upon request.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires any employer who has one or more employees serving customers or other individuals in a place of public accommodation or other public facility, or otherwise has the ability to provide or deny access to the place or facility, to provide training to those employees regarding the right of an individual with a disability to have a guide or service dog in places of public accommodation or other public facilities under the relevant provisions of State and federal law. An employer may satisfy the training requirement of the bill by utilizing training that may be provided at no cost by the Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety, the New Jersey State Bar Association, or any other entity, or may, at its discretion, implement a training program at its own cost.