An Act To Revise the Definition of Service Dog
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0289
Committee Amendment CA_A_H472 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"~ "to H.P. 233, L.D. 289, Bill, "An Act To Revise 
the Definition of Service Dog" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, Directing the Commissioner of Labor To Convene a Task Force To 
Evaluate and Recommend Revisions to the Definition of Service Dog' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Task force to evaluate and revise the statutory definition of 
service dog; membership. 
Resolved: 
That the Commissioner of Labor shall 
convene a task force to evaluate and recommend changes to the statutory definition of 
service dog in the Maine Revised Statutes. 
The task force must be staffed and 
coordinated by the Department of Labor and must include the following stakeholders: the 
director of the animal welfare program within the Department of Agriculture, Food and 
Rural Resources; a representative from the Department of Professional and Financial 
Regulation; representatives from both nonprofit and for-profit service dog training 
schools; a representative from Pine Tree Guide Dog Users, or its successor; a 
representative from the Maine Town and City Clerks' Association, or its successor; a 
representative from the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, or its successor; a 
representative from the Disability Rights Center, or its successor; a representative from 
the Maine Center on Deafuess, or its successor; a representative from the Assistance 
Canine Educations and Support, Inc., or its successor; and a representative of the medical 
community; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Task force duties. Resolved: That the task force shall review the 
following issues within the parameters of applicable federal and state laws: proposed 
changes to the statutory definition of service dog; criteria or documentation that town 
clerks must use to verify a dog as a service animal to qualify for the license fee 
exemption; proposed revisions to the Maine Revised Statutes to clarifY the rights of and 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 233, L.D. 289 
protections for people with disabilities who use service animals; proposed revisions 
necessary to the Maine Revised Statutes to provide clarification to business owners of 
their rights and responsibilities concerning service animals; and proposals for any specific 
criteria that may be required for consideration by medical practitioners when prescribing 
the use of a service animal; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Reporting date established. Resolved: That no later than January 15, 
2008 the Commissioner of Labor shall submit a report with findings and 
recommendations following the review under section 2 including any recommended 
legislative changes to the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and Economic 
Development. The Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research and Economic 
Development is authorized to submit legislation on the subject matter of the report to the 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill with a resolve. It directs the Commissioner of 
Labor to convene a task force to evaluate and recommend changes to the statutory 
definition of service dog in the Maine Revised Statutes. It provides that the task force 
must be staffed and coordinated by the Department of Labor and must include a variety 
of state and local stakeholders to review the following issues within the parameters of 
applicable federal and state laws: criteria or documentation that town clerks must use to 
verifY a dog as a service animal to qualifY for the license fee exemption; proposed 
revisions to the Maine Revised Statutes to clarifY the rights of and protections for people 
with disabilities who use service animals; proposed revisions necessary to the Maine 
Revised Statutes to provide clarification to business owners of their rights and 
responsibilities concerning service animals; and proposals for any specific criteria that 
may be required for consideration by medical practitioners when prescribing the use of a 
service animal. The amendment requires the commissioner to submit a report following 
this review by January 15, 2008 to the Joint Standing Committee on Business, Research 
and Economic Development and authorizes that committee to submit legislation on the 
subject matter ofthe report to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature. 
FISCAL ~OTE REQ~lRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 06/07 107 
~ac::.. 
LD289 
LR 830(02) 
An Act To Revise the Definition of Service Dog 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ,,~ " 
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Additional costs to the Department of Labor, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Professional and 
Financial Regulation can be absorbed within each agency's existing budgeted resources. 
LR0830(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1