NY State Senate Bill S6565

Archive: Last Bill Status - Signed by Governor

Introduced
In Committee
On Floor Calendar
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
Delivered to Governor
Signed by Governor

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Actions

view actions (12)

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Dec 18, 2017	approval memo.61 signed chap.497
Dec 06, 2017	delivered to governor
Jun 19, 2017	returned to senate passed assembly ordered to third reading rules cal.389 substituted for a6801a
Jun 07, 2017	referred to codes delivered to assembly passed senate
Jun 05, 2017	ordered to third reading cal.1505
Jun 02, 2017	referred to rules

Votes

Co-Sponsors

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6801
Law Section:: Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§108, 111 & 118, Ag & Mkts L

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Examines the need for standards for the designation of therapy dogs and relates to the definition and identification of therapy dogs.

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

 BILL NUMBER:  S6565

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in
relation to examining the need for standards for the designation of
therapy dogs and the definition and identification of therapy dogs

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

This bill would require the commissioner of agriculture and markets to
conduct a study regarding the necessity of standards for the
certification, training, and evaluation of therapy dogs.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 - Requires the commissioner to examine the need for
standards for the licensing, certification, and training of therapy
dogs clarify, the rights and privileges of therapy dogs and similar
animals and the differences between therapy dogs, service dogs,
emotional support animals and other similar types of dogs and animals.

Requires submission of the report to the Governor, The Temporary
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the Assembly by October 1,
2018.

Section 2 - Updates the definition of therapy dog to clarify that they
do not qualify as service dogs

Section 3 -Authorizes municipalities to grant a license tag for
therapy dogs

Section 4 - Makes it illegal to knowingly put a false identification
tag on a therapy dog

Section 5 - Establishes the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Though they serve an increasingly important role in society, there is
no presently defined process for certifying therapy dogs in the State
of New York. Therapy dogs do not fall under State or Federal (through
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) law as "service dogs",
which have certain protections and qualifications.

Current law defines a therapy dog as a dog "trained...for such
purpose" as providing for emotional and physical health, but does not
set forth any training or credentialing requirements. As such, any dog
may be described as a "therapy dog". Regardless of whether or not they
have received proper training. This presents situations wherein
untrained animals presented as so-called therapy dogs can be in the
presence of the public and other, trained, service animals. There have
been instances of trained service animals being maimed by untrained
animals.

This legislation will require the Commissioner to study this issue and
make recommendations regarding standards that should be imposed
regarding the training and privileges of these animals in the state.
The commissioner should work with the communities and organizations
most affected by this issue in determining the need for standards.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

None

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS :

None
 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf


                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  6565

                       2017-2018 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              June 2, 2017
                               ___________

Introduced by Sen. MARCHIONE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

AN  ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to examin-
  ing the need for standards for the designation of therapy dogs and the
  definition and identification of therapy dogs

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  The commissioner of agriculture and markets shall examine
the need for statewide standards for  therapy  dogs,  as  such  term  is
defined in subdivision 26 of section 108 of article 7 of the agriculture
and markets law, including, but not limited to, training, evaluation and
certification procedures for the designation of a dog as a "therapy dog"
and  the  need  for  identification,  education  and information for the
public about such dogs, the rights  and  responsibilities  of  such  dog
owners,  the  use  of  such  dogs in institutions and facilities and the
distinction between such dogs and service  dogs  or  animals  and  other
similar  dogs  or animals such as emotional support animals. The commis-
sioner shall consult with the commissioners of health and  human  rights
and  representatives of the dog training industry, the disability commu-
nity, animal protection organizations,  the  business  community,  local
government officials and others in reviewing the need for the establish-
ment  of  such  state standards and any other recommendations related to
the commissioner's findings. The commissioner shall report to the gover-
nor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assem-
bly no later than October 1, 2018 on the commissioner's findings regard-
ing the need for standards  and  public  information  regarding  therapy
dogs.
  § 2. Subdivision 26 of section 108 of the agriculture and markets law,
as  amended  by  chapter  536 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as
follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD10693-06-7

S. 6565                             2

  26. "Therapy dog" means any dog that is trained to aid  the  emotional
and  physical health of patients in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement
homes and other settings and is actually used for such purpose,  or  any
dog  during  the  period  such  dog  is  being  trained or bred for such
purpose,  AND DOES NOT QUALIFY UNDER FEDERAL OR STATE LAW OR REGULATIONS
AS A SERVICE DOG.
  § 3. Subdivision 4 of section 111 of the agriculture and markets  law,
as  amended by section 6 of part T of chapter 59 of the laws of 2010, is
amended to read as follows:
  4. A municipality offering a license for any guide dog,  service  dog,
hearing  dog,  THERAPY  DOG or detection dog may issue a special tag for
identifying such dog, provided that such tag shall be in addition to the
identification tag required by subdivision  one  of  this  section.  The
municipality  may  prescribe the shape, size, color, and form of imprint
of the tag which shall be a different color and shape than the  standard
identification  tag.  Upon  application,  the commissioner shall furnish
such tags without payment of a fee.
  § 4. Paragraph (c) of subdivision 1 of section 118 of the  agriculture
and markets law, as amended by section 14 of part T of chapter 59 of the
laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
  (c)  any  person  to  knowingly affix to any dog any false or improper
identification tag, special identification tag  for  identifying  guide,
service, THERAPY or hearing dogs or purebred license tag;
  § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.

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The New York State Senate

senate Bill S6565

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - Signed by Governor

Your Voice

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Votes

Jun 7, 2017 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: Jun 7, 2017

Jun 5, 2017 - Rules committee Vote

Rules Committee Vote: Jun 5, 2017

Co-Sponsors

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Details

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

senate Bill S6565

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Sponsored By

Kathleen A. Marchione

Archive: Last Bill Status - Signed by Governor

Your Voice

Actions

Votes

Jun 7, 2017 - floor Vote

Floor Vote: Jun 7, 2017

Jun 5, 2017 - Rules committee Vote

Rules Committee Vote: Jun 5, 2017

Co-Sponsors

George A. Amedore, Jr.

Simcha Felder

Pamela Helming

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Details

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Summary

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

S6565 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments