116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1029 

AN ACT 

To allow the use of certified facility dogs in criminal 

proceedings in Federal courts, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Courthouse Dogs Act’’. 

3 SEC. 2. USE OF CERTIFIED FACILITY DOG FOR TESTIMONY 

4 IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 223 of title 18, United 

6 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3502 

7 the following: 

8 ‘‘§ 3503. Use of certified facility dog for testimony in 

9 criminal proceedings 

10 ‘‘(a) DEFINED TERM.—In this section, the term ‘cer11 tified facility dog’ means a dog that has graduated from 

12 an assistance dog organization that is a member of an 

13 internationally recognized assistance dog association that 

14 has a primary purpose of granting accreditation based on 

15 standards of excellence in areas of— 

16 ‘‘(1) assistance dog acquisition; 

17 ‘‘(2) dog training; 

18 ‘‘(3) dog handler training; and 

19 ‘‘(4) dog placement. 

20 ‘‘(b) REQUESTS FOR USE OF CERTIFIED FACILITY

21 DOGS.—Either party in a criminal proceeding in a Federal 

22 court may apply for an order from the court to allow a 

23 certified facility dog, if available, to be present with a wit24 ness testifying before the court through— 

25 ‘‘(1) in-person testimony; or 
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1 ‘‘(2) testimony televised by 2-way, closed-circuit 

2 television. 

3 ‘‘(c) CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL.—A Federal court 

4 may enter an order authorizing an available certified facil5 ity dog to accompany a witness while testifying at a hear6 ing in accordance with subsection (b) if the court finds 

7 that— 

8 ‘‘(1) the dog to be used qualifies as a certified 

9 facility dog; 

10 ‘‘(2) the use of a certified facility dog will aid 

11 the witness in providing testimony; and 

12 ‘‘(3) upon a showing by the party seeking an 

13 order under subsection (b), the certified facility dog 

14 is insured for liability protection. 

15 ‘‘(d) HANDLERS.—Each certified facility dog author16 ized to accompany a witness under subsection (c) shall be 

17 accompanied by a handler who is— 

18 ‘‘(1) trained to manage the certified facility dog 

19 by an assistance dog organization described in sub20 section (a); and 

21 ‘‘(2) a professional working in the legal system 

22 with knowledge about the legal and criminal justice 

23 processes. 

24 ‘‘(e) DEADLINE.—The party seeking an order under 

25 subsection (b) shall apply for such order not later than 
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1 14 days before the preliminary hearing, trial date, or other 

2 hearing to which the order is to apply. 

3 ‘‘(f) OTHER ORDERS.—A Federal court may make 

4 such orders as may be necessary to preserve the fairness 

5 of the proceeding, including imposing restrictions on, and 

6 instructing the jury regarding, the presence of the cer7 tified facility dog during the proceedings. 

8 ‘‘(g) SAVINGS PROVISION.—Nothing in this section 

9 may be construed to prevent a Federal court from pro10 viding any other accommodations to a witness in accord11 ance with applicable law.’’. 

12 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The chapter analysis 

13 for chapter 223 of title 18, United States Code, is amend14 ed by inserting after the item relating to section 3502 the 

15 following: 

‘‘3503. Use of certified facility dog for testimony in criminal proceedings.’’. 

Passed the Senate December 19, 2019. 

Attest: 

Secretary. 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1029 

AN ACT 

To allow the use of certified facility dogs in crimipurposes. nal proceedings in Federal courts, and for other