Alabama – Send Your Support for Bill that Allows Dogs in Outdoor Seating Areas of Restaurants

AKC Legislative Alert

Alabama House Bill 209 seeks to authorize food service establishments to allow pet dogs in outdoor restaurant seating areas if the company wishes to do so.  It requires that the dog be leashed or in a pet carrier and under control, and sets out access, sanitation, and other requirements.

HB 209 specifies that only service animals and dogs under control of on-duty uniformed law enforcement officers are permitted to be inside food service establishments.  It provides that an emotional support animal is not a service animal within the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and therefore is prohibited from being inside a food service establishment.

The American Kennel Club thanks Rep. Steve McMillan, bill sponsor, and Rep. Chip Brown, co-sponsor, for proposing legislation that benefits owners of well-mannered dogs and that protects the rights of service animal users.

HB 209 is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on County and Municipal Government on Wednesday, February 19, 2020.  Dog owners who support this legislation are encouraged to send messages to committee members urging them to vote yes on HB 209:

Rep. Reed Ingram, reedingram75@gmail.com, (334) 261-0507
Rep. Steve Hurst, steve.hurst@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0415
Rep. Adline Clarke, adline.clarke@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0549
Rep. Rodney Sullivan, rodney.sullivan@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0403
Rep. Chris Blackshear, chris.blackshear@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0428
Rep. Debbie Wood, debbie.wood@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0532
Rep. David Wheeler, david.wheeler@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0439
Rep. Margie Wilcox, margie.wilcox@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0577
Rep. Danny Crawford, danny.crawford@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0516
Rep. Barbara Boyd, barbara.boyd@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0592
Rep. Stephen McMillan, bcld07@gmail.com, (334) 261-0523
Rep. Samuel Jones, sam.jones@alhouse.gov, (334) 261-0963

Please also take a moment to send messages of thanks to the bill sponsors:

Rep. Steve McMillan, sponsor HB 209, see contact info above
Rep. Chip Brown, co-sponsor HB 209, Chip@ChipBrown2018.com, (334) 261-0447

For more information, please contact AKC Government Relations at doglaw@akc.org or 919-816-3720.

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Posted by chesliepickett on Feb 18 2020. Filed under Breaking News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.