AN ACT Relating to creating a work group on service animal issues; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

(2) Membership of the work group must include representatives of the following:

(a) The Washington state human rights commission;

(b) The governor's committee on disability issues and employment;

(c) Trade associations representing businesses that are places of public accommodation;

(d) Organizations representing persons who use service animals;

(e) Landlord associations;

(f) Organizations that train service animals; and

(g) Either through the membership in (a) through (f) of this subsection, or by additional membership, private citizens who use service animals.

(3) The work group must meet at least twice, in person, for a minimum of eight hours total.

(4) The work group must gather information and develop recommendations regarding:

(a) The use of service animals in housing settings, including an examination of the differences between federal and state law on this issue;

(b) The differences between service animals and comfort or therapy animals, including how to promote greater public awareness of these differences;

(c) Intentional misrepresentation of pets as service animals, including any data on how frequently this practice occurs;

(d) Web sites and other vendors that promote and sell service animal vests, capes, identification cards, training certificates, and other similar items that could be used to support misrepresentation of pets as service animals;

(e) Opportunities for service animals in training to experience a wide variety of socialization environments; and

(f) Other service animal issues recommended by the work group.

(5) The work group must compile a report summarizing the information collected by the work group and its recommendations, including best practice recommendations where appropriate. The report must be submitted to the governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2017.

(6) This section expires December 1, 2018.

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