House Bill hb1819

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1819

        By Representative Kottkamp






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to guide dogs and service

  3         animals; prohibiting persons from interfering

  4         with, injuring, or killing guide dogs or

  5         service animals; providing penalties; providing

  6         an effective date.

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  8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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10         Section 1.  (1)  Any person who, with reckless

11  disregard, interferes or permits a dog that he owns or is in

12  the immediate control of, to interfere with the use of a guide

13  dog or service animal by obstructing, intimidating, or

14  otherwise jeopardizing the safety of the animal or its user is

15  guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree for the first

16  offense and a misdemeanor of the first degree for each

17  subsequent offense, punishable as provided in section 775.082

18  or section 775.083, Florida Statutes.

19         (2)  Any person who, with reckless disregard, injures

20  or kills, or permits a dog that he owns or is in the immediate

21  control of to injure or kill, a guide dog or service animal is

22  guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as

23  provided in section 775.082 or section 775.083, Florida

24  Statutes.

25         (3)  Any person who intentionally injures or kills, or

26  permits a dog that he owns or is in the immediate control of

27  to injure or kill, a guide dog or service animal is guilty of

28  a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in

29  section 775.082 or section 775.083, Florida Statutes.

30         (4)(a)  A person who is convicted of a violation of

31  this section must also make full restitution for all damages

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1819

    776-123-02






  1  that arise out of or are related to the offense, including

  2  incidental and consequential damages incurred by the guide dog

  3  or service animal's user.

  4         (b)  Restitution includes the value of the animal;

  5  replacement and training or retraining expenses for the animal

  6  and the user; veterinary and other medical and boarding

  7  expenses for the animal; medical expenses for the user; and

  8  lost wages or income incurred by the user during any period

  9  that the user is without the services of such an animal.

10         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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13                          SENATE SUMMARY

14    Prohibits the interference with, injury to, or killing of
      a guide dog or service animal. Provides penalties.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.