Did You Know...
Federal Laws
Title II and III of the ADA Applies nationwide. States cannot pass laws that are in conflict with Title II and III regulations covering people with disabilities' rights to use service animals. In other words, since the ADA establishes service dogs should be allowed in places such restaurants and movie theatres, a state could not pass a law restricting service dogs from these types of establishments.
State Laws
As stated earlier, state laws may expand the definition of a service animal as well as the rights of people with disabilities in how and where they use service animals. States may also establish laws on areas not covered by the ADA such as fraudlulent use of a service animal, intentionally injuring a service animal, and service dogs in training. These state laws apply to residents of that particular state or anyone visiting or working in the state. Since state laws are not supposed to be conflict with ADA regulations, entities should be able to follow state laws without fear of violating the ADA.
Local Laws
Cities and counties may also pass their own laws regarding service animals. These laws should not conflict with both federal (ADA) and any state laws and would only apply to the jurisdiction of the city or county. Enforcement Service animal regulations are enforced at the level they represent. If a city expands its definition of a service animal to animals other than dogs, then any complaint involving an animal other than a dog would be enforced at that local level. Laws only covered at the state or local level, such as fraudulent use of a service animal, would also be enforced at that level.
Note: Many states incorporate the ADA regulations into their own regulations or statutes. In these cases, complaints of discrimination could be made at both the federal and state level.
How Do You Know If Your State has Laws Regarding Service Animals?
Michigan State University provides a Table of State Assistance Animal Laws with links to texts of each law. This table was updated and last published in 2016. It can be accessed at https://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-state-assistance-animal-laws
- In Florida, It is a legal violation to intentionally interfere with the training of a service animal by a person authorized to train the service animal.
- Louisiana exempts service dogs from any state or local license fee.
- In Kentucky the definition of a service animals includes a "bomb detection dog".
Federal Laws
Title II and III of the ADA Applies nationwide. States cannot pass laws that are in conflict with Title II and III regulations covering people with disabilities' rights to use service animals. In other words, since the ADA establishes service dogs should be allowed in places such restaurants and movie theatres, a state could not pass a law restricting service dogs from these types of establishments.
State Laws
As stated earlier, state laws may expand the definition of a service animal as well as the rights of people with disabilities in how and where they use service animals. States may also establish laws on areas not covered by the ADA such as fraudlulent use of a service animal, intentionally injuring a service animal, and service dogs in training. These state laws apply to residents of that particular state or anyone visiting or working in the state. Since state laws are not supposed to be conflict with ADA regulations, entities should be able to follow state laws without fear of violating the ADA.
Local Laws
Cities and counties may also pass their own laws regarding service animals. These laws should not conflict with both federal (ADA) and any state laws and would only apply to the jurisdiction of the city or county. Enforcement Service animal regulations are enforced at the level they represent. If a city expands its definition of a service animal to animals other than dogs, then any complaint involving an animal other than a dog would be enforced at that local level. Laws only covered at the state or local level, such as fraudulent use of a service animal, would also be enforced at that level.
Note: Many states incorporate the ADA regulations into their own regulations or statutes. In these cases, complaints of discrimination could be made at both the federal and state level.
How Do You Know If Your State has Laws Regarding Service Animals?
Michigan State University provides a Table of State Assistance Animal Laws with links to texts of each law. This table was updated and last published in 2016. It can be accessed at https://www.animallaw.info/topic/table-state-assistance-animal-laws
