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2018 SESSION
SB 420 Witness testimony; accompanied by certified facility dogs.
Introduced by: Ryan T. McDougle | all patrons ... notes | add to my profiles
SUMMARY AS PASSED: (all summaries)
Witness testimony accompanied by certified facility dogs. Provides that in any criminal proceeding the attorney for the Commonwealth or the defendant may request and the court may enter an order authorizing the use of a certified facility dog to aid a testifying witness, provided that the use of a certified facility dog will aid the witness in providing testimony and the presence and use of the certified facility dog will not interfere with or distract from the testimony or proceedings. The bill provides that the court may make any orders necessary to preserve the fairness of the proceeding, including imposing restrictions on and instructing the jury regarding the presence of the certified facility dog. The bill defines "certified facility dog" as a dog that (i) has completed training and been certified by a program accredited by Assistance Dogs International or another organization whose main purpose is to improve training, placement, and utilization of assistance dogs and (ii) is accompanied by a duly trained handler. This bill is identical to HB 482.
FULL TEXT
- 01/09/18 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101337D pdf
- 01/22/18 Senate: Committee substitute printed 18104871D-S1 pdf
- 02/23/18 House: Committee substitute printed 18107299D-H1 pdf
- 03/06/18 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB420ER) pdf
- 03/30/18 Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0699) pdf
AMENDMENTS
HISTORY
- 01/09/18 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101337D
- 01/09/18 Senate: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
- 01/22/18 Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (10-Y 4-N)
- 01/22/18 Senate: Committee substitute printed 18104871D-S1
- 01/23/18 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N)
- 01/24/18 Senate: Read second time
- 01/24/18 Senate: Reading of substitute waived
- 01/24/18 Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 18104871D-S1
- 01/24/18 Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB420S1
- 01/25/18 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (30-Y 10-N)
- 01/29/18 House: Placed on Calendar
- 01/29/18 House: Read first time
- 01/29/18 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
- 02/15/18 House: Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #1
- 02/21/18 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N)
- 02/23/18 House: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (18-Y 0-N)
- 02/23/18 House: Committee substitute printed 18107299D-H1
- 02/27/18 House: Read second time
- 02/28/18 House: Read third time
- 02/28/18 House: Committee substitute agreed to 18107299D-H1
- 02/28/18 House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB420H1
- 02/28/18 House: Passed House with substitute BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N)
- 02/28/18 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N)
- 03/02/18 Senate: House substitute agreed to by Senate (31-Y 7-N)
- 03/02/18 Senate: Title replaced 18107299D-H1
- 03/06/18 Senate: Enrolled
- 03/06/18 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB420ER)
- 03/06/18 House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/09/18 Senate: Signed by President
- 03/15/18 Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 15, 2018
- 03/15/18 Governor: Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, April 9, 2018
- 03/30/18 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 699 (effective 7/1/18)
- 03/30/18 Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0699)