1st Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 04/26/2013 12:48pm
A bill for an act
relating to human rights; ensuring public accommodations for blind and disabled
persons; amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 363A.19.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 363A.19, is amended to read:
(a) It is an unfair discriminatory practice for an owner, operator, or manager of a
hotel, restaurant, public conveyance, or other public place to prohibit a blind or deaf
person or a person with a physical or sensory disability from taking a service animal into
the public place or conveyance deleted text begin if the service animal can be properly identified as being
from a recognized program which trains service animalsdeleted text end to aid blind or deaf persons
or persons with physical or sensory disabilities, and if the new text begin service new text end animal is properly
harnessed or leashed so that the blind or deaf person or a person with a physical or sensory
disability may maintain control of the new text begin service new text end animal.
(b) No person shall require a blind, physically disabled, or deaf person to make an
extra payment or pay an additional charge when taking a service animal into any of the
public places referred to in paragraph (a).
new text begin
(c) For purposes of this section, "service animal" means a service animal as defined
by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended.
new text end