Disability Futures

Michigan residents who use service animals will have better access to public spaces, such as restaurants, retail stores and health care facilities after Gov. Rick Snyder today signed a bill package to modernize state law and advance the use of these animals. The bills were spurred in part by recent incidents of people being turned away from businesses because they were accompanied by service animals.

“This small change in state law will have a widespread, positive impact on the lives of those assisted by service animals,” Snyder said.

Senate Bill 298, sponsored by state Sen. David Knezek, makes it a crime to refuse entry to a person using a service animal or to assault a service animal. SB 299, sponsored by state Sen. Margaret O’Brien, exempts dogs from licensing fees if they are a service animal to someone with a disability or a veteran with a service-related disability. They bills are now PA 144 and 145, respectively. All four bills were approved with unanimous support in both chambers.

House Bill 4521, sponsored by state Rep. Tom Barrett, requires the Michigan Department of Civil Rights to offer voluntary identification for service animals. It also requires the department to receive reports of problems encountered by a person with a disability while using a service animal. HB 4527, sponsored by state Rep. David Rutledge, makes it a misdemeanor to falsely represent a service animal, and brings state law more in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act with respect to the definitions of “person with a disability” and “service animal”. It also specifically permits veterans to possess a service animal for post-traumatic stress disorder, a traumatic brain injury, or other service-related disability. The bills are now Public Act 146 and 147 of 2015, respectively.