Our View of the Legislature: Service Animals

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The disAbility Law Center of Virginia is monitoring a very troubling bill that seeks to impede a person’s ability to have a service animal in housing. HB 586 makes it a crime for a person with a disability to claim the need for a service animal in housing, unless the claim is based on a “current” therapeutic relationship.

HB 586 (VanValkenberg) makes it a misdemeanor offense for an individual to represent a need for a service animal if that request is not supported by provider who has a current therapeutic relationship with the individual. The bill is supported by AOBA (the Apartment & Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington) and is opposed by virtually every disability advocacy group and fair housing advocacy group. The bill was approved by the House and will be heard on the Senate side in the Committee on General Laws and Technology.

Our mission is to advance independence, choice and self-determination; protect legal, human and civil rights; and eliminate abuse, neglect and discrimination of people with disabilities through zealous and uncompromising legal advocacy and representation.  We are available to educate policy makers about the potential impact of legislative proposals and budgetary considerations.  Please let us know of any legislative proposals or budget issues that you think we should be following.  Contact us at info@dlcv.org or by calling 1-800-552-3962 or 804-225-2042.