# Texas Bill HB 489



## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

Still has process to become a law.

Texas House passed HB 489 adding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to list for SDs -- *IF the handler is a veteran.* I am hoping that the Senate will take away restrictions of this limitations to vetrans only.


Service dogs OK’d for use by PTSD victims
Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Service dogs OK’d for use by PTSD victims | Texas Politics | a Chron.com blog


Remember:

ADA is a Civil Rights Law - and as such addresses charges of violations in a certain procedure. 

A State Statute violation is handled at the local level.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/billtext/html/HB00489E.htm


Additional changes making it more in keeping with Title III / Dept. of Justice Regulatory Law:


** If a service animal is accompanied by a person whose
disability is not readily apparent, for purposes of admittance to a
food service establishment, retail food store, or physical space
occupied by another entity regulated under this chapter, a staff
member of the establishment, store, or entity may only inquire
about:
(1) whether the service animal is required because the
person has a disability; and
(2) what type of work the service animal is trained to
perform.


** In this section, "service animal" means a canine that is
 specially trained or equipped to help a person with a disability. A
canine that provides only comfort or emotional support to a person
is not a service animal under this section. The tasks that a
service animal may perform in order to help a person with a
disability must be directly related to the person's disability and
may include:
(1) guiding a person who has a visual impairment;
(2) alerting a person who has a hearing impairment or
who is deaf;
(3) pulling a wheelchair;
(4) alerting and protecting a person who has a seizure
disorder;
(5) reminding a person who has a mental illness to take
prescribed medication; and
(6) calming a disabled veteran who has post-traumatic
stress disorder.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/83R/billtext/html/HB00489E.htm

Does not give Public Access Rights to Owner Trainers while training their dog. 

A service [An assistance] animal in training or use 
shall not be denied admittance to any public facility when
accompanied by an approved trainer 



A very strange and unusual change ... 

This Bill strikes out:
_[who is an agent of an
organization generally recognized by agencies involved in the
rehabilitation of persons who are disabled as reputable and
competent to provide training for assistance animals, and/or their
handlers]._

and changes current law to 

(B) a service dog that is trained or being
trained by a person with a certification issued by the National
Association for Search and Rescue or another state or nationally
recognized search and rescue agency to be a search and rescue dog
that assists a law enforcement agency, fire department, or state or
nationally recognized search and rescue agency in search and rescue
activities


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

Renee, have you been hearing any feedback on this Bill? 

I'm confused why they would strike out trainers with SD organizations and only include SAR trainers.


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