730 ILCS 5/3-12-16
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 730 - CORRECTIONS|730 ILCS 5/ - Unified Code of Corrections.|Chapter III - Department Of Corrections

Sec. 3-12-16. Helping Paws Service Dog Program.(a) In this Section:"Person with a disability" means a person who suffers from a physical or mental  impairment that substantially  limits one or more major life activities."Program" means the Helping Paws Service Dog Program created by this  Section."Service dog" means a dog trained in obedience and task skills to meet  the  needs of a person with a disability."Animal care professional" means a person certified to work in animal  care  related services, such as  grooming, kenneling, and any other related fields."Service dog professional" means a person certified to train service  dogs  by an agency, organization, or  school approved by the Department."Veteran" means an Illinois  resident who is a veteran as defined in subsection (h) of  Section 1491 of Title 10 of the United States Code.(b) The Department may establish the Helping Paws Service Dog Program to  train  committed persons to be  service dog trainers and animal care professionals. The Department shall select  committed persons in  various correctional institutions and facilities to participate in the Program.(c) Priority for participation in the Program must be given to committed  persons who either have a high school  diploma or have passed high school equivalency testing.(d) The Department may contract with service dog professionals to train  committed persons to be certified  service dog trainers. Service dog professionals shall train committed persons  in  dog obedience training,  service dog training, and animal health care. Upon successful completion of the  training, a committed  person shall receive certification by an agency, organization, or school  approved by the Department.(e) The Department may designate a non-profit organization to select  animals  from humane societies and  shelters for the purpose of being trained as service dogs and for participation  in any program designed to  train animal care professionals.(f) After a dog is trained by the committed person as a service dog, a  review  committee consisting of an equal  number of persons from the Department and the non-profit organization shall  select a person with a disability or a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression to  receive the service dog free of charge.(g) Employees of the Department shall periodically visit persons with disabilities  who  have received service dogs from  the Department under this Section to determine whether the needs of the  persons with disabilities or veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression have been met  by the service dogs trained by committed persons.(h) Employees of the Department shall periodically visit committed persons  who  have been certified as service  dog trainers or animal care professionals and who have been paroled or placed  on mandatory supervised  release to determine whether the committed persons are using their skills as  certified service dog trainers or  animal care professionals.  (Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 100-384, eff. 1-1-18.)