CHAPTER 305

HB 1417 – FINAL VERSION

05/13/10 2048s

02Jun2010… 2301cofc

02Jun2010… 2419eba

2010 SESSION

10-2636

08/01

HOUSE BILL 1417

AN ACT allowing the companion dogs of restaurant owners in certain areas of restaurants.

SPONSORS: Rep. Butler, Carr 1; Rep. Bettencourt, Rock 4

COMMITTEE: Commerce and Consumer Affairs

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill allows the companion dogs of restaurant owners in certain areas of restaurants.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

05/13/10 2048s

02Jun2010… 2301cofc

02Jun2010… 2419eba

10-2636

08/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Ten

AN ACT allowing the companion dogs of restaurant owners in certain areas of restaurants.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

305:1 Dogs; Restaurants and Food Stores. Amend RSA 466:44 to read as follows:

466:44 Restaurants and Food Stores.

I. Except as provided in paragraph II, no person shall bring any animal into any restaurant or any store that sells food; and no person shall allow any animal to enter [or remain] in any [restaurant or in any] store that sells food, except for guide dogs leading blind persons, and the hearing ear dog and the service dog as provided in RSA 167-D. Whoever violates the provisions of this [section] paragraph shall be guilty of a violation.

II. A restaurant owner may allow his or her properly disciplined companion dog inside his or her place of business. Such dogs shall not be allowed in food preparation or production areas. A restaurant owner allowing his or her companion dog shall prominently display a sign at all public entrances advising patrons that his or her companion dog is allowed on the premises and that such dog shall be removed from any portion of the premises where members of the public are present in the event a patron with a service dog is present.

305:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: July 13, 2010

Effective Date: September 11, 2010