Item for Immediate Action - Maine

I thought I had a link for this readily available, but in the interest of getting it out before I need to dash out the door ya'll are getting the full text instead!

As a colleague and well-known trainer put it (paraphrased), 'Uh-oh! Problems right out of the gate!  Where and who are the "certified animal trainers" to certify the SD????'  If you live in Maine, please contact your Representatives.  Please point out the problems with the language being used and let them know how you feel about what they are trying to do.

Dailyah Rudek and SD Riley

127th MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2015
Legislative Document No. 547
H.P.
371 House of Representatives, February 26, 2015

An Act Regarding Service Dogs

Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and ordered printed.

49

ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk

Presented by Representative CAMPBELL of Orrington. (BY REQUEST)

Cosponsored by Senator SAVIELLO of Franklin and
Representatives: DOORE of Augusta, LAJOIE of Lewiston, MAKER of Calais, NADEAU of Winslow, STANLEY of Medway, TUELL of East Machias.

Printed on recycled paper
table with 2 columns and 33 rows

1

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §3922, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2007, c. 664, §11, is further amended to read:

4. Service dogs. If a service dog has not been previously registered or licensed by the municipal clerk to whom the application is being made, the clerk may not register the dog nor issue to its owner or keeper a license and tag that identifies the dog as a service dog unless the applicant presents written evidence to the municipal clerk that the dog meets the definition of "service dog." For the purpose of this subsection "written
evidence" means a service dog certification form approved by the department in consultation with the Maine Human Rights Commission. The service dog certification form must include a letter signed by a physician, psychologist, physician assistant or nurse practitioner indicating that the owner or keeper or a member of the owner's or keeper's household requires the service dog and a certification or other document
indicating that the service dog has completed training from an established service animal training organization or has been evaluated by a certified animal trainer and found to have a sound temperament suitable for a service dog.

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Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §3923-B, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:

1-A. Service dog registration tag. In accordance with subsection 1, the department shall ensure that, with regard to the registration and licensing of a service dog, the service dog's registration tag clearly indicates that the dog is a service animal pursuant to Title 5, section 4553, subsection 9-E. The department shall devise a method of ensuring that a service dog's registration tag is clearly visible to the public.

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SUMMARY

This bill requires that an individual registering a service dog present to the municipal clerk a letter signed by a physician, psychologist, physician assistant or nurse practitioner indicating that the individual or a member of the individual's household requires the service dog and a certification or other document indicating that the service dog has completed training from an established service animal training organization or has been
evaluated by a certified animal trainer and found to have a sound temperament suitable for a service dog. It also requires the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to ensure that the registration tag of a service dog clearly indicates that the dog is a service animal and to devise a method of ensuring that a service dog's registration tag is visible to the public.

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