MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Public Health and Welfare

By: Representative Snowden

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-6-151, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CHANGE THE TITLE OF THE MISSISSIPPI SUPPORT DOG ACT TO THE MISSISSIPPI SUPPORT ANIMAL ACT; TO AMEND SECTION 43-6-155, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW ANY PERSON WITH A DISABILITY AND ALL ANIMALS SPECIFICALLY TRAINED TO ASSIST DISABLED PERSONS TO HAVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC FACILITIES WITH CERTAIN LIMITATIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 43-6-151, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-6-151. Sections 43-6-151 through 43-6-155 shall be known as and may be cited as the "Mississippi Support Animal Act."

SECTION 2. Section 43-6-155, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

43-6-155. (1) Any blind person, mobility impaired person, hearing impaired person or any other person living with a disability who uses a dog or other animal specifically trained as a guide, leader, listener or for any other assistance necessary to assist such blind, mobility impaired, hearing impaired person or other person living with a disability in day-to-day activities shall be entitled to the full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges of all public conveyances, hotels, lodging places, businesses open to the public for the sale of any goods or services and all places of public accommodation, amusement, or resort and other places to which the general public is invited, and may take the dog or other animal into * * * conveyances and places, subject only to the conditions and limitations applicable to all persons not so accompanied, except that:

(a) The dog or other animal shall not occupy a seat in any public conveyance.

(b) The dog or other animal shall be upon a leash or otherwise sufficiently restrained in a manner appropriate for the animal while using the facilities of a common carrier.

(2) Trainers of support dogs and other support animals shall have the same rights of accommodations, advantages, facilities and privileges with support animals-in-training as those provided to blind, mobility impaired, hearing impaired persons and other persons living with a disability with support animals under this section.

(3) No person shall deprive a blind, mobility impaired, * * * hearing impaired person, or a support animal trainer of any of the advantages, facilities or privileges provided in this section, nor charge such blind, mobility impaired, hearing impaired person, person living with a disability or support animal trainer a fee or charge for the use of the animal.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2000.