WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2024 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced House Bill 5601
By Delegates E. Pritt and Howell [Introduced February 12, 2024; Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary]
 Intr HB 2024R3801
1 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section,
2 designated §19-20-27, all relating to prohibiting a person from taking a dog, cat, or other
3 animal into a grocery store or retail establishment that sells food unless the animal is a
4 registered service animal.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 20. DOGS AND CATS.
§19-20-27. Prohibition against taking a dog, cat, or other animal that is not registered as a service animal into grocery stores or retail store that sells food; penalty.
1 (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, no person shall enter a
2 grocery store or retail establishment that sells food with a dog, cat, or other animal unless the
3 animal is a registered service animal.
4 (b) A person that violates this section of code shall be subject to a fine of not more than
5 $500. Upon a second or subsequent violation, he or she shall be subject to a fine of not more than
6 $1,000.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit a person from taking a dog, cat, or other animal into a grocery store or retail establishment that sells food unless the animal is a registered service animal.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
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Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 19-20-27