ASSEMBLY, No. 1902

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED MAY 6, 1996

By Assemblyman T. SMITH

An Act concerning retail establishments and municipal, county and State buildings and service or guide dogs and supplementing P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.) and P.L.1971, c.130 (10:5-29 et seq.).

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. a. A retail establishment shall prominently display a sign which states that a person with a disability who is accompanied by a service or guide dog is entitled to have access to the establishment. The sign shall be displayed in an area readily accessible to the public and its content shall be easily readable by a person of normal vision. The sign shall also be displayed in braille.

    b. A person who violates the requirements of this section shall be subject to penalties pursuant to P.L.1960, c.39 (C.56:8-1 et seq.).

    2. a. A municipal, county or State building shall prominently display a sign which states that a person with a disability who is accompanied by a service or guide dog is entitled to have access to the building. The sign shall be displayed in an area readily accessible to the public and its content shall be easily readable by a person of normal vision. The sign shall also be displayed in braille.

     b. The municipal, county or State entity responsible for the building shall be responsible for complying with the provisions of this section.

    3. Pursuant to the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill).

     4. Pursuant to the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Director of the Division of Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety

shall adopt regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill).

    5. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires retail establishments and municipal, county or State buildings to prominently display a sign which states that a person with a disability who is accompanied by a service or guide dog is entitled to have access to the establishment or building. The sign shall be displayed in an area readily accessible to the public and its content shall be easily readable by a person of normal vision. The sign shall also be displayed in braille.

    Under the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990", Pub.L.101-336 and the State "Law Against Discrimination," P.L.1945, c.169 (C.10:5-1 et seq.) an individual with a disability who is accompanied by a guide or service dog is protected from discrimination.

     This bill attempts to increase public awareness of the right of a person with a disability, accompanied by a guide or service dog, to have access to retail establishments and public buildings.

Requires retail establishments and municipal, county and State buildings to display sign requiring access to a person with a disability accompanied by a service or guide dog.