GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 336

Short Title:  Assistance Dog Law Change/AB.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Gardner; and Hill.

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Referred to:  Welfare Reform and Human Resources.

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March 1, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO ALLOW TRAINERS OF ASSISTANCE DOGS TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ASSISTANCE DOG DURING TRAINING SESSIONS WHEN USING PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION OR COMMON CARRIERS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 168-4.2 reads as rewritten:
"§ 168-4.2.  May be accompanied by assistance dog.
Every mobility impaired person, as defined in this section, visually impaired person, as broadly defined to include visual disability, or hearing impaired person, as defined in G.S. 8B-1(2), has the right to be accompanied by an assistance dog especially trained for the purpose of providing assistance to a person with the same impairing condition as the person wishing to be accompanied, in any of the places listed in G.S. 168-3, and has the right to keep the assistance dog on any premises the person leases, rents, or uses. The  person qualifies for these rights upon the showing of a tag, issued by the Department of Human Resources, pursuant to G.S. 168-4.3, stamped 'NORTH CAROLINA ASSISTANCE DOG PERMANENT REGISTRATION' and stamped with a registration number, or upon a showing that the dog is being trained or has been trained as an assistance dog. An assistance dog may accompany a person in any of the places listed in G.S. 168-3 but may not occupy a seat in any of these places.  The trainer of the assistance dog may be accompanied by the dog during training sessions in any of the places listed in G.S. 168-3.
A mobility impaired person is a person with a physiological deficiency, regardless of its cause, nature, or extent, that renders the individual unable to move about without the aid of crutches, a wheelchair, or other form of support, or that limits the person's functional ability to ambulate, climb, descend, sit, rise, or perform any other related function."
Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective October 1, 1995.