I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4049 
To provide seating accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 12, 2023 
Mr. STANTON (for himself and Mr. MOLINARO) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To provide seating accommodations for qualified individuals 
with disabilities, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Access and Dignity 
for All People Who Travel Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act, the following definitions apply: 
(1) AIR CARRIER.—The term ‘‘air carrier’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 40102 of 
title 49, United States Code. 
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(2) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate and the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives. 
(3) FOREIGN AIR CARRIER.—The term ‘‘foreign 
air carrier’’ has the meaning given that term in sec-
tion 40102 of title 49, United States Code. 
(4) QUALIFIED
INDIVIDUAL
WITH
A
DIS-
ABILITY.—The term ‘‘qualified individual with a dis-
ability’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation. 
(6) SERVICE ANIMAL.—The term ‘‘service ani-
mal’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
SEC. 3. SEATING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR QUALIFIED INDI-
VIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) ADVANCED
NOTICE
OF
PROPOSED
RULE-
MAKING.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue 
an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking regard-
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ing seating accommodations for any qualified indi-
vidual with a disability. 
(2) NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING.—Not 
later than 1 year after the date on which the ad-
vanced notice of proposed rulemaking under para-
graph (1) is completed, the Secretary shall issue a 
notice of proposed rulemaking regarding seating ac-
commodations for any qualified individual with a 
disability. 
(3) FINAL RULE.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date on which the notice of proposed rulemaking 
under paragraph (2) is completed, the Secretary 
shall issue a final rule regarding seating accom-
modations for any qualified individual with a dis-
ability. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out any rule-
making under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider 
the following: 
(1) The scope and anticipated number of quali-
fied individuals with a disability who— 
(A) may need to be seated with a com-
panion to receive assistance during a flight; or 
(B) should be afforded bulkhead seats or 
other seating considerations. 
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(2) The types of disabilities that may need seat-
ing accommodations. 
(3) Whether such qualified individuals with a 
disability are unable to obtain, or have difficulty ob-
taining, such a seat. 
(4) The scope and anticipated number of indi-
viduals assisting a qualified individual with a dis-
ability who should be afforded an adjoining seat pur-
suant to section 382.81 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations. 
(5) Any notification given to qualified individ-
uals with a disability regarding available seating ac-
commodations. 
(6) Any method that is adequate to identify 
fraudulent claims for seating accommodations. 
(7) Any other information determined appro-
priate by the Secretary. 
SEC. 4. KNOWN SERVICE ANIMAL USER TRAVEL PILOT PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a pilot program to allow approved pro-
gram participants as known service animal 
users for the purpose of exemption from the 
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documentation requirements under part 382 of 
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, with re-
spect to air travel with a service animal. 
(B) REQUIREMENTS.—The pilot program 
established under subparagraph (A) shall— 
(i) be optional; 
(ii) provide to applicants assistance, 
including 
over-the-phone 
assistance, 
throughout the application process for the 
program; 
(iii) with respect to any web-based 
components of the pilot program, meet or 
exceed the standards described in section 
508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 
U.S.C. 794d) and the regulations imple-
menting that Act as set forth in part 1194 
of title 36, Code of Federal Regulations; 
and 
(iv) exempt participants of the pilot 
program from any documentation require-
ments under part 382 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations. 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In establishing the pilot 
program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
consult with— 
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(A) disability advocacy entities, including 
nonprofit organizations focused on ensuring 
that individuals with disabilities are able to live 
and participate in their communities; 
(B) air carriers and foreign air carriers; 
(C) accredited service animal training pro-
grams and authorized registrars, such as the 
International Guide Dog Federation, Assistance 
Dogs International, and other similar organiza-
tions and foreign and domestic governmental 
registrars of service animals; 
(D) other relevant departments or agencies 
of the Federal Government; and 
(E) other entities determined to be appro-
priate by the Secretary. 
(3) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to participate 
in the pilot program under this subsection, an indi-
vidual shall— 
(A) be a qualified individual with a dis-
ability; 
(B) require the use of a service animal be-
cause of a disability; and 
(C) submit an application to the Secretary 
at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require. 
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(4) CLARIFICATION.—The Secretary may award 
a grant or enter into a contract or cooperative agree-
ment in order to carry out this subsection. 
(5) NOMINAL FEE.—The Secretary may require 
an applicant to pay a nominal fee (not to exceed 
$25) to participate in the pilot program. 
(6) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
(A) PLANNING REPORT.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a publicly available re-
port describing the implementation plan for the 
pilot program under this subsection. 
(B) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 
year after the establishment of the pilot pro-
gram under this subsection, and annually there-
after until the date described in paragraph (7), 
the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a publicly available re-
port on the progress of the pilot program. 
(C) FINAL
REPORT.—Not later than 5 
years after the date of enactment of this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress a publicly avail-
able final report that includes recommendations 
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for the establishment and implementation of a 
permanent known service animal user travel 
program for the Federal Government. 
(7) SUNSET.—The pilot program shall termi-
nate on the date that is 5 years after the date of en-
actment of this section. 
(b) ACCREDITED SERVICE ANIMAL TRAINING PRO-
GRAMS AND AUTHORIZED REGISTRARS.—Not later than 
6 months after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Secretary shall publish on the website of the Department 
of Transportation and maintain a list of— 
(1) accredited programs that train service ani-
mals; and 
(2) authorized registrars that evaluate service 
animals. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS ON SERVICE ANIMAL RE-
QUESTS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a report on requests for air travel with service ani-
mals, including— 
(1) during the reporting period, how many re-
quests to board an aircraft with a service animal 
were made; and 
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(2) the number and percentage of such re-
quests, categorized by type of request, that were re-
ported by air carriers or foreign air carriers as— 
(A) granted; 
(B) denied; or 
(C) fraudulent. 
(d) TRAINING.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Sec-
retary shall, in consultation with the Air Carrier Ac-
cess Act Advisory Committee, issue guidance regard-
ing improvements to training for airline personnel 
(including contractors) in recognizing when a quali-
fied individual with a disability is traveling with a 
service animal. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The guidance issued 
under paragraph (1) shall— 
(A) take into account respectful engage-
ment with and assistance for individuals with a 
wide range of visible and non-visible disabilities; 
(B) provide information on— 
(i) service animal behavior and wheth-
er the service animal is appropriately har-
nessed, leashed, or otherwise tethered; and 
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(ii) the various types of service ani-
mals, such as guide dogs, hearing or signal 
dogs, psychiatric service dogs, sensory or 
social signal dogs, and seizure response 
dogs; and 
(C) outline the rights and responsibilities 
of the handler of the service animal. 
Æ 
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