DC, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii
Disctrict of Columbia,
Human Rights Act of 1977, Title 6, Chapter 22; Title 6, Chapter 17, Sections 6-1701 through 6-1709District of Columbia law guarantees a blind person the legal right to be accompanied by a specially trained dog guide in its public buildings and its public facilities, and in all public accommodations and on all public conveyances. The right to equal accommodation in all housing also is guaranteed to a dog guide user. No additional charge can be levied because of the dog’s presence, but the dog guide user is liable for any damage the dog may cause to the premises. Landlords are not required to modify the premises, nor are they responsible for maintaining a higher degree of care than that provided other tenants. With the exception of the federal government, the District of Columbia prohibits all employers, including its own various branches, from employment discrimination because of blindness or visual impairment. Public accommodations include hotels, restaurants, stores, places of resort and amusement, and all other places to which the general public is invited. (Sect. 6-1702, Sect. 6-2202, Sect. 6-2241) Public conveyances include boats, trains, buses, streetcars, taxis, airplanes, and all other modes of transportation offered for public use. (Sect. 6-1702, Sect. 6-2241) Housing includes all accommodations offered for rent, lease or compensation within the jurisdiction of the district. (Sect. 6-1706, Sect. 6-2231) Violation: Any person, or agent thereof who denies or interferes with the above legally established rights is punishable with imprisonment up to 90 days, or a fine not to exceed $300, or both. (Sect. 6-1707)
Florida,
Florida Statutes, Section 413.08 (1) through (8), enacted 1971, amended 1973, 1974, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998Florida statutory law guarantees a blind person the legal right to be accompanied by a specially trained dog guide in all public accommodations and on all public conveyances. Florida statutory law also guarantees a dog guide user the legal right to equal accommodations in all housing. No extra fee can be levied because of the dog’s presence, but the dog guide user is liable for any property damage the dog might cause. Landlords are not required to modify the premises nor are they responsible for maintaining a higher standard of care than that provided to other tenants. Housing accommodation covers any real property or portion thereof that is offered for rent, lease or compensation as a residence or sleeping place, but does not include private single family dwellings in which the occupants have offered no more than one room for rent. (Sect. 413.08(4)(a)-(c)) Public conveyances include all common carriers, airplanes, boats, trains, buses, taxis, and any other mode of transportation offered for public use. (Sect. 413.08(1)(a)) Public accommodations include hotels, lodging places, restaurants, stores, places of resort and amusement, and any other place to which the general public is invited. (Sect. 413.08 (1)(a)) Any trainer of a dog guide, while engaged in the training of such dog has the same rights and privileges with respect to access to public facilities. (Amendment Sect. 413.08 (7)) Violation: Any person, firm, corporation, or agent thereof who denies or interferes with the above enumerated rights is guilty under Florida law of a second class misdemeanor and punishable in accordance therewith. (Sect. 413.08 (2)
Georgia,
Georgia Laws of 1991, Title 30, Chapter 4, Sections 30-4-1 through 30-4-3Georgia statutory law guarantees a blind person the legal right to be accompanied by a specially trained dog guide in all public accommodations and on all common carriers. Also guaranteed by Georgia law is the legal right of a dog guide user to equal accommodation in all housing. No extra charge can be levied because of the dog guide’s presence, but the dog guide user is liable for any damage to the premises that the dog might cause. Landlords are not required to modify the premises, nor are they responsible for maintaining a higher degree of care than that provided other tenants. Dog guide users employed in vending stands have a legal right to have their dog with them, with the limitation that the dog cannot be within 25 feet of the food vended. (Sect. 30-4-1) Common carriers include boats, airplanes, trains, buses, taxis, and any mode of transportation offered for public use. (Sect. 30-4-1) Public accommodations include hotels, restaurants, stores, places of resort or amusement, and any other place to which the general public is invited. (Sect. 30-4-1) Housing includes all property offered for rent, lease, or purchase, but does not include single family dwellings with no more than one room for rent. (Sect. 30-4-2) Violation: Any person, firm, corporation or agent thereof who denies or interferes with the above enumerated rights is guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine not to exceed $100, or by imprisonment for not more than 10 days, or both. (Sect. 30-4-3)
Hawaii,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, Sections 347-13, 347-13.5, 47-14, and 347-19, Sect. 142-5.5, Sect. 515-3; Hawaii Quarantine Policy No. A1-13, amended 7/17/80Hawaii law guarantees the legal right of a blind person to be accompanied by a specially trained dog guide in all places of public accommodation and on all common carriers. No extra charge can be levied because of the dog’s presence, but the dog guide user is liable for any damage the dog might cause to the premises. Public accommodations include hotels, lodging places, restaurants, stores, places of resort and amusement and all other places to which the general public is invited. (Sect. 347-13) Common carriers include airplanes, boats, buses, taxis, and any other mode of transportation offered for public use. (Sect. 347-13) It is a discriminatory practice for an owner or any other person engaging in a real estate transaction, or for a real estate broker or sales person, to refuse to engage in a real estate transaction with a person or to deny equal opportunity to use and enjoy housing accommodation due to a disability because the person uses the services of a guide dog, signal dog, or service animal; provided that reasonable restrictions or prohibitions may be imposed regarding excessive noise or other problems caused by those animals.(Sect. 515-3) Suits by individuals, jurisdiction; venue: Any person injured by a violation of Sect. 347-13 may bring a civil action to recover three times the person’s actual damages or $1,000, whichever sum is greater, for each violation. Any person bringing such action shall also be entitled to recover the person’s costs, together with reasonable attorney’s fees. An action under this section shall be brought in the circuit court of the district in which the violation is alleged to have occurred. (347-13.5) Violation: Any person, agent or corporation or agent thereof who violates the above rights is punishable under Hawaiian law. The Statute specifies that an official of a common carrier may be fined up to $1,000, and may be imprisoned for interfering with these rights.