OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Disability Bills Heard on Monday, February 14

Date: Feb. 10, 2005
Location: Carson City, NV
Issues: Minors and Children Health and Health Care


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Dina Titus
February 10, 2005 (775) 684-6504

CARSON CITY—Proposed legislation to prevent interference with service animals for disabled persons and a bill to help disabled teenagers make the transition from high school to adult life will be heard in the Senate Human Resources and Education Committee on Monday, February 14.

The bills are recommendations from the Interim Legislative Committee on Persons with Disabilities and came as a result of hearings over the last year, according to Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, who chaired the interim committee.

S.B. 36 would strengthen current laws that prevent a person from unlawfully allowing an animal under his or her control from interfering with a service animal or service animal in training and prohibit a person from beating or killing a service animal in training. The bill also sets civil penalties for businesses, landlords or operators of public transportation who deny access to service animals or charge more when a disabled person is accompanied by a service animal. Finally, the bill would establish criminal penalties for those who falsely represent a pet as a service animal.

"There is a growing problem of people passing off their pets as service animals, sometimes even buying fake green vests that service animals traditionally wear off the internet," Titus said. "These animals, which are not trained, act up in restaurants and stores, and lead to genuine service animals being denied access."

"It is critical that disabled individuals who depend on their service animals to get around not be denied access due to the irresponsibility of others," she said.

S.B. 22 would create an advisory board within the Office of Disability Services to coordinate and oversee services for teenagers with disabilities who are making the transition from high school to adult living.

"Currently, services are fragmented, and our disabled youth graduating from high school and going out on their own for the first time may have difficulty navigating the system," the Senate Minority Leader said. "We are attempting to streamline the process and ensure they get the services they need to succeed."

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http://www.leg.state.nv.us/titus/docs/view02102005.pdf

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