This bill amends existing legislation to increase the penalties for individuals who deny access to service dogs and their handlers in public facilities, on transportation operated by the New Jersey Transit Corporation, or with transportation network companies. Under the new provisions, individuals found in violation will face criminal charges rather than civil penalties. Specifically, a first violation will be classified as a petty disorderly persons offense, while a second and subsequent violations will be classified as disorderly persons offenses. The penalties for these offenses include potential imprisonment and fines, with the maximum imprisonment for subsequent violations increased to one year.

The bill also removes the previous civil penalty structure, which imposed fines of $250 for the first violation, $500 for the second, and $1,000 for the third and subsequent violations. Instead, the legislation establishes that penalties will be enforced through summonses issued by law enforcement officers, and it allows aggrieved parties to pursue additional legal action through the Division on Civil Rights or the Superior Court of New Jersey. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the penalties collected will be directed to the Department of Law and Public Safety to fund educational programs for law enforcement regarding the rights of individuals with disabilities to access public accommodations with service dogs.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 10:5-29.11