*I've heard rumors that one of the people who started this in OR moved to or is otherwise now working in Washington State towards a similar goal. Keep on the lookout!
Here's the link to Oregon House Bill 3077 https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2015R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/HB3077/Introduced
I'm not planning to provide summaries for these, but please don't hesitate to contact me if there's confusion. I know that the language used in this type of writing can be difficult to wade through.
Please also let me know if it'd be good for me to include the text of the bill in the post. For now, I'm going to figure that the link is sufficient.
Dailyah and SD Riley
Monday, March 9, 2015
Reviving this blog - The Service Dog industry in crisis!
We've now had three states attempt to create legislation that stands to pose real problems for disabled people choosing to be accompanied through life by highly trained service dogs. Thankfully, AZ's died before it got very far. Maine and Oregon still have things on the table for consideration. (I will put the text up for both of these later this afternoon.) The service dog industry and service dog handlers are in real trouble.
I fear it won't be long before we see even more states trying to put these sorts of problematic laws in place. I will be using this space for the occasional ethics, policy, law and/or legislation-related blog, but primarily this space will be used to try to keep folks up to date with what's going on where. Whether you are a Service Dog handler of any type (Guide/Hearing/Mobility/Psych/Medical Alert/Other), family or support team member for a handler, work in the industry, or are simply a private citizen who cares about the rights of the disabled, you're going to want to stay on top of the language various states are trying to push through. We've fought too hard to have our civil rights recognized to have them taken away because we aren't paying attention.
I'll do my best to keep current, but please do contact me if there's something going on in your state that you think others should know about.
My hope is that my readers will choose to act. The AZ bill (which would have impacted disabled peoples' ability to have their service dog in restaurants - among other things) was squashed before getting very far thanks to public outcry.
Will the Americans with Disabilities Act and other Federal law "override" much of what some states are trying to do? Yes. Will we see mass confusion and will handlers have to deal with complications anyway in the event any of these things pass? Undoubtedly.
I fear it won't be long before we see even more states trying to put these sorts of problematic laws in place. I will be using this space for the occasional ethics, policy, law and/or legislation-related blog, but primarily this space will be used to try to keep folks up to date with what's going on where. Whether you are a Service Dog handler of any type (Guide/Hearing/Mobility/Psych/Medical Alert/Other), family or support team member for a handler, work in the industry, or are simply a private citizen who cares about the rights of the disabled, you're going to want to stay on top of the language various states are trying to push through. We've fought too hard to have our civil rights recognized to have them taken away because we aren't paying attention.
I'll do my best to keep current, but please do contact me if there's something going on in your state that you think others should know about.
My hope is that my readers will choose to act. The AZ bill (which would have impacted disabled peoples' ability to have their service dog in restaurants - among other things) was squashed before getting very far thanks to public outcry.
Will the Americans with Disabilities Act and other Federal law "override" much of what some states are trying to do? Yes. Will we see mass confusion and will handlers have to deal with complications anyway in the event any of these things pass? Undoubtedly.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
The New VA Law
Regarding the new law pertaining to service dogs in VA buildings:
The estimate is that this new rule regarding VA buildings potentially excludes as much as 85% of the SD community. MOST ADI programs do not train the kinds of "psych" tasks that so many veterans desperately need. This necessitates these veterans, needing dogs so desperately, having NO CHOICE but to OT or go through a non-ADI program. Now, suddenly, their dogs may not (probably won't) be allowed to go to doctor appointments with them at VA Hospitals and Clinics. Undoubtedly, many of these veterans who are in need of medical treatment will no longer go to their various medical appointments solely because they'd have to leave their partners behind. (The military is pretty clear about never leaving your partners behind. Just sayin') We all know that when we don't see our doctors, they eventually won't refill our meds and that if we do not see our psychologists then they can't help us. No meds and no therapy usually leads to suffering and pain. And yes, it is that veteran's choice to not leave behind the partner...perhaps the ONLY living thing that service member honestly believes cares about them and who helps them...just to go into a cold and sterile building to see doctors who don't often offer much kindness or real help. I cannot see how this new policy in ANY way serves Veterans...and isn't that why the VA exists?
The estimate is that this new rule regarding VA buildings potentially excludes as much as 85% of the SD community. MOST ADI programs do not train the kinds of "psych" tasks that so many veterans desperately need. This necessitates these veterans, needing dogs so desperately, having NO CHOICE but to OT or go through a non-ADI program. Now, suddenly, their dogs may not (probably won't) be allowed to go to doctor appointments with them at VA Hospitals and Clinics. Undoubtedly, many of these veterans who are in need of medical treatment will no longer go to their various medical appointments solely because they'd have to leave their partners behind. (The military is pretty clear about never leaving your partners behind. Just sayin') We all know that when we don't see our doctors, they eventually won't refill our meds and that if we do not see our psychologists then they can't help us. No meds and no therapy usually leads to suffering and pain. And yes, it is that veteran's choice to not leave behind the partner...perhaps the ONLY living thing that service member honestly believes cares about them and who helps them...just to go into a cold and sterile building to see doctors who don't often offer much kindness or real help. I cannot see how this new policy in ANY way serves Veterans...and isn't that why the VA exists?
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Therapy Dogs International Discriminates Against The Disabled?
Sadly, it would appear so. How very interesting and sad that a highly-trained service dog cannot also be a TDI therapy dog. Here's a link to what's going on over at Service Dog Central. http://servicedogcentral.org/content/node/568 I find this pretty shocking coming from Therapy Dogs International - of all groups?
I suppose it's a little like The National Federation of the Blind now urging a boycott of Goodwill Industries until Goodwill decides to pay their disabled employees AT LEAST minimum wage. Yes, you read that right. Goodwill is a non-profit and so they are exempt from minimum wage standards. Check it out http://www.nfb.org/national-federation-blind-urges-boycott-goodwill-industries
Woof!
I suppose it's a little like The National Federation of the Blind now urging a boycott of Goodwill Industries until Goodwill decides to pay their disabled employees AT LEAST minimum wage. Yes, you read that right. Goodwill is a non-profit and so they are exempt from minimum wage standards. Check it out http://www.nfb.org/national-federation-blind-urges-boycott-goodwill-industries
Woof!
The Senseless Death of Guide Dog Quincy
Most people around me are intimately familiar with the untimely death of Guide Dog Quincy last month. A ProBoneO legal team is working to help handler Bruce Cole and too many people to thank have stepped up to show their support of the enforcement of Scanner's Law in this case. Scanner's Law is a special law in Florida State that provides special protections for Service Dog Handlers. Please take the time, if you haven't already, to check out Quincy's Memorial page on Facebook. We'd appreciate a "Like". The more Likes we have, the better we can show that this is a serious issue and that the public supports laws that protect service dogs and their handlers. https://www.facebook.com/QuincyColeGuideDog Thanks!!!
Really Petaluma, CA?
Got word today that paratransit is trying to require that Service Dogs ride in kennels. I don't have too many details yet, but really Petaluma? If any place in the U.S. should have a handle on the laws regarding Service Animals, I'd think it'd be Petaluma. Guide Dogs for the Blind, Canine Companions for Independence and Bergin U are all within a stone's throw. *sigh*
OT: Netflix case setting precedent
As someone with Deaf and HOH friends and family members, I have been watching this case with interest. While not dog related, it's BIG and most definitely disability-related.
From the SF Chronicle: "
This is huge. Google it for more information.
Another, similar issue, that's been brought up by some of my friends and clients who rely on captioning involved the "tweet" and "text" messages that some live shows are starting to pop up during their broadcasts. Often this text interferes with the captioning to the point where it is basically useless. Dear Networks, Is knowing what Pam in St. Louis thinks about some dancer's butt more important than your Deaf/HOH viewers being able to read what it is the judges were saying about the dancer's routine?!?!?!?
/rant
From the SF Chronicle: "
A federal judge has taken a step toward requiring Netflix to provide closed-captioning for the deaf on its video-streaming website, ruling that federal disability laws cover businesses that serve their customers online.
Netflix, headquartered in Los Gatos, is the dominant provider of movies and TV programs on the Internet, with more than 20 million subscribers. The National Association for the Deaf accused the company of violating the law by withholding closed-captioning from most of the videos on its "Watch Instantly" on-demand website. <snip>
This is huge. Google it for more information.
Another, similar issue, that's been brought up by some of my friends and clients who rely on captioning involved the "tweet" and "text" messages that some live shows are starting to pop up during their broadcasts. Often this text interferes with the captioning to the point where it is basically useless. Dear Networks, Is knowing what Pam in St. Louis thinks about some dancer's butt more important than your Deaf/HOH viewers being able to read what it is the judges were saying about the dancer's routine?!?!?!?
/rant
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