RCW 49.60.215
Declaration-Finding-Purpose- 2018 c 176 : "The legislature declares that service animals that are properly trained to assist persons with disabilities play a vital role in establishing independence for such persons. There are an increasing number of occurrences where people intentionally or mistakenly represent their pet, therapy animal, or emotional support animal to be a service animal and attempt to bring the animal into a place that it would otherwise not be allowed to enter. Federal and state laws require places of public accommodation, including food establishments, to allow an animal that is presented as a service animal into a place of public accommodation; these same places of public accommodation face a dilemma when someone enters the premises and intentionally misrepresents his or her animal as a service animal. The legislature finds that the misrepresentation of an animal as a service animal trained to perform specific work or tasks constitutes a disservice both to persons who rely on the use of legitimate service animals, as well as places of public accommodation and their patrons. The purpose of this act is to penalize the intentional misrepresentation of a service animal, which delegitimizes the genuine need for the use of service animals and makes it harder for persons with disabilities to gain unquestioned acceptance of their legitimate, properly trained, and essential service animals." [2018 c 176 s 1.]
Effective date- 2018 c 176 : "This act takes effect January 1, 2019." [2018 c 176 s 7.]
Severability-1993 c 510: See note following RCW 49.60.010.
Denial of civil rights: RCW 9.91.010.