CT Alert: Hearings on Multiple Bills Impacting Dog Owners Next Week

Next week, two Connecticut General Assembly Joint Committees will accept public testimony on the following bills impacting dog owners:

SUPPORT ACCESS TO SERVICE DOGS:

SB 976, “Concerning health insurance coverage for individual and group health insurance policies,” would, among other provisions, mandate  health insurance coverage for the cost to purchase a trained service animal that is specially trained to assist blind, deaf, or mobility impaired persons, or persons with a disability that is other than physical, including, but not limited to, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) strongly supports the training and use of dogs by humans, whose lives are enriched by dogs’ performing essential services.  We encourage the continuation and further development of the use of service dogs for a variety of purposes.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:  Connecticut residents are encouraged to electronically register your support by contacting the Joint Insurance and Real Estate Committee by February 14, 2023.

1. Click on the committee contact form here.
2. Fill in the fields for your name, and select “February 14, 2023, 12:30PM” from the “Hearing Date and Time” drop down menu.
3. Select “SB00976 Health Coverage Mandates for Certain Conditions”.
4. On the right-hand side, select “Supports”.
5. If you wish, you may add comments and/or upload written testimony in PDF format.

In addition, you may speak at the February 14, 2023, public hearing starting at 12:30PM in person in Room 2E of the Legislative Office Building, 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106 Hartford, or remotely via Zoom.  To do either, register by completing this form before Monday, February 13, 2023, at 3PM.

SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS TWO BILLS BEFORE JOINT ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE:

HB 6611, “On-line dog licenses from the Department of Agriculture,” would authorize a streamlined electronic system for dog license registration and renewal through the Department of Agriculture with a simple flat fee for all dogs.  Dog owners without electronic access would be allowed to continue to register dogs with their town clerks.

Because current rabies vaccination is necessary to obtain a dog license, licensing remains an important method of reducing community rabies risk.  An on-line license portal is already used by many Connecticut municipalities.  Centralizing the process at the state level will reduce the burden on cities and towns and establish a uniform license fee.  AKC supports these improvements and is advocating for an amendment to ensure that dog owner information uploaded to the new system will remain confidential.

HB 5215 “Establishing a Taskforce to Study the Epidemic of Domestic Dog Attacks in the State,” would convene a working group at the Department of Agriculture to develop recommendations for legislation that will seek to reduce the number of attacks by domestic animals that result in death or serious injury and to expedite the process for appealing any animal control officer’s animal disposal orders while ensuring due process for animal owners.

AKC has been named to the work group and is interested in participating.  We would like a representative from the Connecticut Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners (CFDRDO) to be appointed to also serve.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:  Connecticut residents are encouraged to electronically register your support and request for changes by contacting the Joint Environment Committee by Tuesday, February 15, 2023.

1. Click on the committee contact form here.
2. Fill in the fields for your name, and select “February 15, 2023, 11AM” from the “Hearing Date and Time” drop down menu.
3. Select “HB 6615 On-line dog licenses from the Department of Agriculture”
4. On the right-hand side, select “Supports”.
5. Select “type in my testimony” to submit comments consistent with the noted amendments above and/or upload written testimony in PDF format.
6. Repeat these steps for “HB 5215 Establishing a Taskforce to Study the Epidemic of Domestic Dog Attacks in the State”.

You may also personally appear and speak at the February 15, 2023, public hearing, which starts at 11AM in Room 2B of the Legislative Office Building, 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106, or remotely via Zoom.  To do either, register by completing this form before Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at 3PM.

For more information on these or other legislative issues in Connecticut, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at 919-816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org.